


We Are The Daylight

by locatebiome (trashcanofobsessions)



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, yeah we got the whole package boys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-01-16 13:24:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 66,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21271754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashcanofobsessions/pseuds/locatebiome
Summary: After a traumatic event takes everything from Casey, xe wanders the world alone, avoiding other humans and trying to find a way back to the life xe knew. A few hidden libraries later, xe finds one. An unpredictable, supernatural creature of great power, supposedly banished from this world sixty-six years ago. The very mention of this beast has been torn from books all around the world– except for a few well-guarded libraries that escaped the defilement.Casey’s willing to do anything to get what xe wants. Even summon this so-called “Herobrine” fellow.





	1. The Traveler's Cabin

If this library turned out to be a fluke, Casey was going to be _ unfathomably _ annoyed.

The ancient atlas xe was using had already come close to endangering xem once. The maps hadn’t been updated in sixty-some years, and the small settlements they depicted had since flourished into large, sprawling towns teeming with people. Xe’d had to make quite an inconvenient detour to avoid the suburbs xe hadn’t planned on seeing for another half-kilometer.

That town was a few days and several kilometers behind xem now. According to the old maps, a cabin for sheltering weary travelers lay past the upcoming slope, beyond the river, and behind the tall, imposing hill. And in the basement of this cabin was a library Casey hoped could help xem.

Ever since avoiding that town, xe’d been trekking through a vast green prairie. Xe was used to traveling under the shade of mighty spruce trees, and walking unprotected under the white-hot glare of the sun instead was torture. Not to mention, the sunlight constantly clawing at xir eyes reminded xem of xir time in the mountain peaks, which was never a pleasant thing to be reminded of.

If the atlas was right, and everything went according to plan, xe’d be at the cabin by nightfall and the endless days of sweating profusely and rubbing xir aching eyes would be behind xem.

Xe reached the top of the slope and paused, gasping for breath. It took xem a good few minutes to recover from the excruciating climb, but the moment xir breath became regular, xe started walking again.

Crossing the river was a bit more of a challenge. The first thing Casey did was pull a spare rag from xir pocket, soak it in the cool water, and wrap it around xir forehead like a circlet. Xe sighed with relief and then began sizing up the river.

After a moment of contemplation, xe decided the simplest and easiest way would be to simply lay a log across the river and walk its length. Luckily, xe had plenty of full-length logs left over from xir time in the spruce forest. Xe summoned a log about eight meters long from the depths of xir inventory and leaned xir whole body against it to force it to fall the right way. It toppled and the far end landed on the other side of the river with a thunderous thud.

Xe clambered on and managed to inch xir way to the other side. Xe didn’t bother picking up the log for later use. Getting to the shelter before the moon rose was far more important, especially when xe had plenty of extra wood anyway.

The sun was uncomfortably low in the sky when Casey began to climb the final hill. It was a stressful, sweaty ordeal, and xe couldn’t wait for it to end. Finally, chest heaving, xe reached the top, shaded xir eyes, and glanced down with a heart full of hope.

All the breath left xir lungs in a great whoosh of relief.

It was smothered and nearly disguised by green wildlife, its cobblestone walls were cracked and mossy, and the panes in the windows had clearly been shattered for years, but it was there.

Invigorated, Casey rushed down the hill and speed-walked to the cottage’s front door. Xir natural wariness kicked in and overrode the excitement just in time, however, so xe forced xemself to slow down and check for traps.

Xe couldn’t see any pressure plates hidden among the overgrown lane leading to the front door, and there didn’t appear to be any tripwires hidden in the tall grass either. One could never be too careful.

Cautiously, xe opened the front door.

The interior of the cabin was dilapidated and smelled so musty it seemed like a coordinated attack on Casey’s nostrils, but it appeared safe. A bed with a green plaid comforter was tucked away in the far right corner, and the back wall was lined with shelves and chests alike. To the left, xe spotted a row of furnaces and a rough-hewn crafting table.

But the part that caught xir eye immediately, that made xir heart race, was the trapdoor in the far left corner. If the atlas was correct, that would lead to a spacious basement where visitors to the little shelter were encouraged to drop off books and journals detailing their adventures. Supposedly, the cabin’s basement had collected a vast wealth of knowledge over the years.

Xe dropped xir inventory pack by the door, already analyzing the cottage and planning ahead. Xe’d rest here for a few days or maybe more, examining the library for any relevant information. The cottage had been well-built, if not well-maintained, and it wouldn’t take much to fix it up and make it liveable. Casey had the wood to repair the roof in xir pack right now, and the windows could just be filled in with solid stone rather than glass.

But before xe could relax, or even commit to repairing the place, xe needed to investigate the basement. There was still a chance all xir struggles had been for nothing.

Uncomfortably aware of each footstep, xe crossed the room. Casey took a deep breath, pushed down the rising trepidation, and opened the trapdoor. Cool air wafted out of the dark, vertical tunnel, prickling on xir sweaty face. A rickety ladder descended into the blackness.

But at the bottom, xe spied warm light like that from a torch. 

With another deep breath, and the presence of the deep, dangerous curiosity that would serve xem well in the months to come, xe snatched a spare torch from xir pocket and stepped onto a flimsy wooden rung.

Despite xir curiosity and excitement, or perhaps because of it, xe found xir breath coming faster and faster as xe descended deeper. The small stony walls bounced the sound back at xem in an eerie way.

At last, xe reached the light at the bottom and paused on the ladder to look around.

The atlas was right. Casey hadn’t suffered in vain.

A genuine grin grew on xir face.

The basement was paved entirely out of smooth andesite, and lit by lanterns hanging from the ceiling at uniform intervals. The orangey wood of two parallel rows of bookshelves, each coming up to about shoulder-height, seemed to glow in the warm lantern-light.

Xe hopped to the floor, excitement rising. There was a lectern at the nearest end of the closest shelf, and xe examined it first. It detailed the organizational system of the shelves, which was simple and easy to understand. One row contained only nonfiction, and the other only fiction. One corner was dedicated to journals, maps, and reports from travelers, and everything else was organized alphabetically by title.

The traveler section would probably be the most helpful to xem, but there might be some other books of use hidden away in the little basement. It would take a few days of scanning shelves and skimming paragraphs before xe’d find all the helpful ones.

Xe walked between the shelves, head tilted to read titles, and one hand extended to touch the spines of the books. They were very old, with faded lettering on their spines, and worn leather covers.

Xe’d only made it to the He’s when something gave xem pause. There was a sizeable gap in the row of books, as if an entire chunk had been cleanly removed. Unsettled, xe skipped several letters to get to the Mo’s, where xe found another abrupt hole in the row of tightly packed books.

This was just like the first library, the one where xe’d found the atlas that had led xem here. It’d had large sections of the He’s and Mo’s missing as well.

Casey pondered that for a moment, distinctly uneasy. On one hand, both the libraries were very old, and hadn’t been touched for at least a few decades. Whatever had happened probably wasn’t going to affect xem. But on the other, the possible conspiracy piqued xir curiosity. Not to mention, xe _ hated _ having information withheld from xem. Xe almost wanted to find the missing books out of pure spite.

But that wasn’t relevant to xir current situation. Xe’d have to save that mystery for another time.

With a sigh, xe returned to the task at hand.

In the “Explorer’s Corner”, xe discovered quite a few helpful books. There were a few maps of the area, some documents on predators and night beasts to be aware of, and, xir favorite part, excerpts from the journals of the many travelers that had stopped here before xem.

But, even in those handwritten accounts, there was evidence of something . . . _ bigger _ going on. Several pages had been ripped out in numerous places, usually mid-sentence, right when the story was getting good.

Casey set the maps and beast dossiers aside, troubled. Xe’d study those in the coming days. For now, xe needed to make the cabin into a suitable living space. Plus, the task would distract xem from the missing information and the possibility of conspiracy.

Xe climbed the ladder and emerged in the musty cottage. The evening sun’s rays streamed through the glassless windows and gilded the interior in copper. Xe didn’t have much time.

Xe got to work right away, clearing the moss and rotten wood from the roof and replacing it with fresh wood from xir inventory. The walls were solid enough, if completely green with moss, and xe had enough spare cobblestone to fill in the windows. Xe left a gap near the top of the window-frame so fresh air and sunlight could come in.

The first stars were easily visible in the sky by the time xe finished. Feeling much safer, Casey set out xir bedroll on the floor -- xe didn’t _ quite _ trust that bed -- and slipped in.

This was the first time since leaving that first village that xe’d slept in a real building. It’d been a long time since xe’d felt so secure.

It was still hard to sleep alone though. It took xem _ ages _ to fall asleep without the comforting warmth and weight of others around xem.

But this time, exhaustion outweighed the unfamiliarity. Xe fell asleep before xir thoughts even had the chance to keep xem up.

Casey stayed at the cabin for several days.

In that time, xe made xir way through most of the books in the basement. The Explorer’s Corner books were by far the most helpful. They contained descriptions and notes on the behavior of all kinds of beasts, as well as tips on dealing with them. Xe recorded plenty of data in xir own notebook.

There were also quite a few hand-drawn maps and sketches of specific landmarks, but nothing as extensive or detailed as the atlas. Xe copied some of the landmark-sketches anyway, just in case.

While the journals of previous travelers were probably the most practical, Casey also found a few books that were just . . . fun. When taking a break from scanning explorer’s notes, xe found a book about a team of four children infiltrating a private school to investigate its dark underbelly. Before long, xe’d read the entire trilogy. 

There was also a book xe’d grabbed simply because there was a blue dragon on the cover, and xe _ loved _ dragons. Xe flew through the whole thing, and to xir delight, the last few pages proudly announced a sequel. But xir excitement was quickly followed by dismay when xe discovered that the small basement library didn’t have the second one.

Then, there were the books that didn’t have an immediate practical use like those in the Explorer’s Corner, but more of a potential for use in the future. In the nonfiction section, Casey found books on physics, ecology, economy, craftology, religion, redstone mechanics, and universe theory. Xe devoured chapter after chapter, recording careful notes on anything and everything of interest.

Xe memorized a few basic automated farms and several mechanized traps. Xe discovered ecological niche of the night beasts and dozens of new recipes. Xe learned that the most commonly practiced religions were Solunity, which involved worshipping the sun and moon; Kaveanism, which featured a pantheon of gods that each represented an ore found underground; and Ethuudism, which involved worshipping the Nether and End. But Ethuudism was very rare nowadays, plus there was no mention of the Wanderer’s Way and its nameless god of travel, which reminded Casey that these books were old enough to take their information with a grain of salt. 

Once again, xe found evidence of something weird playing out behind the scenes. Most of the books had a table of contents in the first few pages, and several chapter titles had been scribbled over so xe couldn’t read them. When xe flipped to those chapters, the pages had been torn out.

Despite the mystery gnawing at xem, xe managed to focus on the info that was actually relevant to xir current dilemma.

Casey was a very fast reader, and the basement library was pretty small, but it was still a sizeable task. Xe read almost nonstop for the whole duration of xir stay. Sure, xe was only getting around four to five hours of sleep a night, and xe was almost always hungry because xe forgot to eat, but that was a sacrifice xe was willing to make. 

Xe was willing to do just about anything to get them back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so it begins


	2. A Weird Dream

Finally, there came a day when Casey could safely say xe’d read everything of use. Xir notebook was filled with notes, sketches, and ideas. There was nothing else to be gained from this library.

But xe was unsatisfied. 

Xe’d found plenty of interesting and maybe-useful information, that was certain. But nothing that helped xem directly. Nothing that would help Casey find them.

Xe crawled into xir bedroll that night deeply unsettled. Xe didn’t know what to do.

There were really only two options. Xe could go back to the town xe’d avoided and start asking around. Or, xe could pick a direction and start walking, the same strategy xe’d used to escape the mountains.

The first option was highly risky. If Casey was discovered looking for them, there would be . . . consequences. But the second option was extremely inefficient. Xe could walk for months and never find anything useful.

It took xem a long time to fall asleep. 

And when xe did, xe dreamed.

Casey found xemself on xir knees in a dark room, so dark xe couldn't see the floor or walls at all. It was just pure, unbroken blackness. A thick shackle enclosed each wrist, chaining xem to the ground. Xe couldn’t tell what the shackles or chains were made of, but they were heavy and cold against xir skin.

“Help! Help me!” xe yelled. “Anyone! Please!”

Xe shouted until xir voice gave out. But no one replied. The hopelessness of the situation overwhelmed xem and xe began to cry. The chains rattled as sobs shook xir body.

Casey was alone. Completely alone.

And then xe wasn’t.

Two people were suddenly visible, seeming to glow against the complete darkness. They were humans, not villagers, and they strode towards xem without hesitation.

They both knelt before xem. Oddly enough, xe couldn’t make out their faces, or any of their features.

**"Give us your hands,"** one instructed. 

Xe reached out for them, as far as xe could with xir wrists chained to the floor.

Each of them grabbed one of xir hands, and as they pulled Casey to xir feet, the shackles shattered. Xe stared down at xir freed hands, blinking incredulously.

**"If you see only darkness, open your eyes,"** said one. 

The blackness around them dissolved, revealing . . . the cottage. The three of them were standing outside the cottage Casey had fixed up, under a beautiful starry night. The long prairie grass swayed slowly in a cool breeze, and nocturnal beasts wandered peacefully nearby.

**"We know you're lonely,"** one began.

**"But you're never alone,"** the other finished.

Then suddenly, the sun was rising, spreading warmth and color across the world. It was at Casey’s right, which meant xe was facing North.

**"Go North,"** the two whispered in unison, and their words seemed to fill xir body. **"Go North."**

And then Casey woke up, heart racing like xe’d just ran two kilometers. Xe scrambled free of xir bedroll, flung the front door open, and stumbled outside.

The sun was rising.

The first thing xe did that morning was write the entire dream down. Whatever it was, xe never wanted to forget it. Xe rarely had such vivid dreams, and never one that felt like so much more than a dream.

The next thing Casey did was pack up all xir things.

Xe didn’t really have a choice. It was xir only lead. Besides, xe found xemself . . . trusting the two dream people. Their presence had filled xem with a sense of peace and confidence, like xe could do anything because those two were at xir side.

_ We know you’re lonely. But you’re never alone. _

“I guess I’m heading North,” Casey muttered to xemself. Ugh, xir voice sounded terrible. It hadn’t been used in a while.

Xe traveled light, so it didn’t take much time to gather up all xir things. The sun hadn’t even reached zenith by the time xe gave the cabin a last double-check, tightened the straps of xir inventory pack, and set off.

According to the atlas, there was a village just a few hundred kilometers North. Xe’d stop for a few days there to rest, and to ask around for any info that could help xem. If nothing of use revealed itself, xe’d continue North.

With the basis of a plan in xir head and renewed determination in xir veins, Casey set off.

More walking. 

The trip only took a few days, but the constant walking was tedious and made each day seem much longer. 

The sun was relentless. It didn’t rain once. Sunburn stung xir face and shoulders. Xe was uncomfortably sticky with sweat constantly and xir eyes always ached by the end of the day.

Xe crossed two more rivers and climbed countless gentle prairie slopes. Once, xe passed through a thin strip of flower forest, but for the most part xe traveled through grassy plains. 

Casey rested for a bit in the flower forest, giving xemself more of a break than xe usually would. It was cool under the shade of the trees, and the flowers’ fragrance lifted xir spirits. Large bees buzzed cheerfully in the shrubbery and bumped xir hands playfully. Xe picked a few bright flowers for the road and continued on.

Xe was glad to be out of the musty cottage, but xe didn’t anticipate how much xe’d miss having solid walls around xem and a roof over xir head. The makeshift shelters xe slept in every night seemed flimsy and hazardous by comparison.

At least now xe could see the stars before falling asleep. The glittering night sky always reminded xem of them. And it was comforting to think that they were all looking at the same stars.

Casey traced xir favorite constellation and wished they were here with xem. But that wish was nothing new.

Xe checked the atlas incessantly. Xe was running out of food, and if the ancient maps failed xem now it could spell disaster. If xe didn’t make it to the village soon -- assuming it was really there of course -- xe’d have to make camp and go foraging or hunting. The task would waste precious time, and of course there was always the chance xe wouldn’t find anything and starve to death.

Once, Casey opened the atlas to see that xe should reach the village that day. If not, xe’d have to improvise.

Xe walked and walked and walked. 

Xe passed several cave openings, which caught xir attention, but there was no spare time (or energy) to be spent on spelunking. Xe could explore them later.

Midday was always the worst. When the sun was at its highest, the heat and brightness felt like a deliberate attack on xem personally, like the sun had a vendetta against xem. Xe _ hated _ it, and always tried to find some shade to rest in for that part of the day.

The sun was low in the sky, and Casey was beginning to worry. This could throw off all xir plans. Maybe the dream had been a trap. Maybe some entity had led them North to starve and die.

Xe was so lost in thought and so consumed by doubt that xe almost didn’t notice the brown-gray blur on the horizon.

Xir head jerked up.

A cluster of buildings with cobblestone walls and wooden roofs, stood on the edge of earth and sky.

Relief overwhelmed xem and xe fell to xir knees.

The atlas hadn’t lied. The dream hadn’t been a trick. Xe was going to be okay.

Xe got to xir feet and pulled an oversized sweatshirt from xir pack. Displaying one’s hands was a sign of aggression in villager culture, and xe didn’t need any more enemies. The long, floppy sleeves of the sweatshirt hid xir hands fine while still letting xem grip things through the cloth.

Hands covered, xe shouldered xir pack and strode towards the distant village with renewed energy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ughhh I'm super unhappy with this one and could not for the life of me improve it. sorry for putting yall through that. the later ones are much better, I promise


	3. A (much) Weirder Encounter

Casey could feel xemself relaxing as xe entered the village. 

An evening wind took the edge off the sun’s oppressive heat. Villager children chased each other off the well-maintained paths, and their carefree laughter brought a smile to xir face. Villagers brought their hands together and nodded to xem as xe passed -- the usual greeting, and the equivalent of humans waving to each other -- and xe responded in kind. 

As a general rule, xe liked villages. They were like little pockets of warm security, where everything was neat and quaint and danger seemed like a distant dream. Plus, humans rarely visited them, so there was little chance of Casey being found here.

Xe passed building after building, all appearing well-built and cozy. Flowers and small, brightly-dyed flags added splashes of color.

A couple villagers forgot their manners and stared outright at xem, which xe tried to ignore. Xe could hardly blame them; they probably hadn’t seen a human in years, if ever. But it was disconcerting nonetheless.

It only took a few minutes of walking to find what xe was looking for.

A tavern.

Every village -- and to be fair, every human settlement -- had one. Food and drink with friends in such a cozy atmosphere did wonders for morale, as well as building positive relationships within the community. It was the first place travelers visited when passing through or touring a village, and Casey was no exception.

Xe opened the door to reveal a large room lit warmly by lamps hanging from the ceiling and sitting on every table. A bar took up most of the right wall, and the bartender brought his hands together to greet xem as xe came in. Xe returned the gesture and trotted up to the bar.

“How much for a mug of tea and a hot meal?” Casey rasped.

“First purchase is always on the house,” the bartender replied smoothly. “Go sit down and a server will be right with you.”

Xe thanked him and went for the first unoccupied table xe saw. Exhausted, xe collapsed into the chair, massaging xir forehead.

Before xe could even take stock of xir surroundings, a server set down a huge wooden bowl of rabbit stew and a mug of steaming tea on the table. Xe thanked them profusely and dug in eagerly.

After living off stale bread and carrots for so long, the delicious stew was paradise on xir tongue. As big as the bowl was, it was gone all too soon. The tea was good too, herbal and sweet and gulped down nearly as fast as the stew.

With a full belly, Casey leaned back in xir chair and relaxed. Xe’d forgotten how much good food could lift one’s spirits. The hopelessness and panic of the last few days simply melted away.

Across the room, a pair of villagers stood up. Xe watched them with idle curiosity.

Xe had just enough time to think _ “Huh, those aren’t regular villager robes. Weird.” _ before the two of them turned and xe saw their faces.

They were human.

Casey jumped and quickly looked down to hide xir face. If those two knew about xem and saw xem here, everything would fall apart before it had even begun.

_ This can’t be a coincidence! The dream _ ** _was_ ** _ a trap! _

Xe kept xir head down, looking for all the world like a scrawny villager in a blue robe.

_ They’re coming this way. No no no nonono _ ** _nono--_ **

The two of them sat down at Casey’s table, cheerfully oblivious to xir inner hysteria.

“Hey, it’s okay,” one of them soothed gently. “It’s a little weird being surrounded by villagers, huh? But--”

“--don’t worry. We’re human too,” the other finished.

Something about their voices seemed familiar. Xe looked up, just for a moment, and caught a glimpse of two open, honest faces.

They didn’t curse or jump back in surprise. They just offered xem encouraging smiles.

Casey straightened in xir chair and made a smooth recovery. “Sorry, I’ve been on the road for a while and I’m a little jumpy.”

“Of course,” nodded one.

“Been there,” agreed the other.

Xe took a deep breath and actually looked at the fellow humans before xem.

One was bearded and broad-shouldered, with cool brown skin, and curly hair of a slightly darker shade. Their eyes were an unusual, captivating indigo that complemented their outfit perfectly. Rather than the simple, practical clothes most adventurers preferred, they’d opted for a crisp turquoise button-up and violet skinny jeans. 

The other was taller and slimmer, with much paler, pinker skin, a long braid of carrot-colored hair and vibrant emerald eyes. They wore clothes that were closer to Casey’s garb and seemed built for running through the woods, consisting of a light green tunic with a dark green sash tied around the waist, and plain brown leggings.

Casey was sure xe knew them from somewhere, but couldn’t recall. For someone in xir position, that wasn’t a good thing.

“It’s nice to finally see other humans,” gushed Button-Up. “I’m so glad to have another of our own to talk to.”

Xe nodded.

“So, why are you traveling?” Green-Tunic asked casually.

“Umm, I’m . . . looking for something.”

The two of them looked at each other.

“We know all about that,” Green-Tunic nodded.

“Here, we can help you,” offered Button-Up.

“Oh, no, no, that’s fine--” xe protested, but they were already rummaging through their pack. Xe broke off, defeated, but mostly confused. Xe’d had some weird interactions, but this was definitely in xir top five.

Button-Up triumphantly pulled something from the bag and slapped it down on the table. In spite of xemself, Casey leaned closer to look at it.

It was a slip of paper with a few lines scrawled on it. Xe picked it up gingerly to peer at the handwritten words.

But before xe could, xir companions both stood up suddenly.

“Right, well, you read that,” said Green-Tunic.

“We’ll be on our way now,” Button-Up finished.

Xe frowned, but didn’t reply. Nothing about these two had any made sense so far. Why would their departure be any different?

Button-Up paused before the door. “And Casey?”

Xir heart skipped a beat. _ They know my name. _

“That,” they nodded at the slip of paper, “is gonna annoy you at first. It may seem intimidating, but we both know you like a good challenge sometimes. _ Embrace the challenge. _”

Xe just stared, speechless.

“And if things get tough in the future, keep this encounter in mind as hard evidence,” Green-Tunic chimed in. “that _ even when you might be lonely, _ ** _you’re never alone._ **”

Casey gasped involuntarily and stood up in a flash. “Wait!”

But the two of them were already out the door. Xe bolted for the exit and raced after them.

By the time xe got outside, the two of them were gone. There was no sign that they’d ever been there in the first place.

Forget top five, this was by far their all-time weirdest interaction.

Xe returned to xir table in a daze, completely oblivious to the weird looks the villagers aimed at them. Thoughts buzzing, xe angled the slip of paper towards the lantern-light to read the handwritten text. At first, xe found it hard to focus on the words over the internal tsunami of _ “what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck” _ . This whole situation was _ impressively _ bizarre.

After a few moments of controlled breathing and firmly beating back xir overexcited mind with a mental broom, xe managed to clear xir head enough to comprehend writing. 

At first, xe thought it was a poem. But as xe peered closer and reread it, the truth became clear.

It was a riddle.

_ Buried beneath the oak tree _  
_ At the end of a long gray fall _  
_ There you will find the cloaked key _  
_ There you will find the gate in the wall_

_ Into risk you will descend _  
_ So keep your sword up and sneak _  
_ But at last at the end _  
_ You will find that which you seek_

That night, Casey found a nearby inn and rented a room for a handful of emeralds. Xe’d get a good night’s rest before tackling the riddle. Despite xir utter exhaustion, the excited thoughts darting around in xir mind like a swarm of bees kept xem up much longer than xe’d like.

But eventually, xe fell into a fitful sleep.

When xe woke up, xir first thought was that of disappointment. Xe’d expected another encouraging dream message, or at least some answers. Xe didn’t even get their names!

Xe sat up and stretched, already thinking of how to crack the puzzle.

It was time to do some asking around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not super happy with this one either. But the next one? Now THAT's where things get fun


	4. The Gate In The Wall

It turned out Button-Up was right. Casey  _ was _ annoyed by the riddle at first.

There was something infuriating about meeting two omniscient dream entities only for them to hand over some puzzle. Why couldn’t they just give xem straightforward instructions? This was xir  _ life _ , not some fun rivalry between xem and them. Xe didn’t have time to be solving riddles.

Xe allowed xemself a few moments to pick apart the puzzle and be irritated. 

_ “Buried beneath the oak tree” _ ? It was a prairie! There were no trees!  _ “Keep your sword up and sneak” _ ? Really? The rest of the riddle was all mysterious and dramatic, except for the highly-unprofessional word “sneak”. They couldn’t find any other rhyme?  _ Really? _

But Button-Up was right about the other thing too. Xe’d always liked mind puzzles, and xe  _ did _ relish the challenge.

Casey began by asking the resident villagers about their village. Xe asked about the land it was built on, whether there’d ever been any human visitors before xem, if they’d ever seen or heard or heard about anything strange happening in the area. 

Xe learned that other than xem, no one had seen another human in several months (xe also learned that all the villagers firmly believed Button-Up and Green-Tunic  _ weren’t  _ human). The village was a peaceful place, and had been for decades. 

Multiple villagers directed xem towards the village elder.

“You must be the human everyone’s talking about,” he’d said with a smile when Casey knocked on his door. “Come in.”

Xe took a few steps forward and found xemself in a cozy little home with wooden floors and walls of pale terracotta. A bed with a faded yellow blanket rested in the far corner, and two chairs faced each other in the middle of the room.

He settled into one of them and gestured to the other.

Xe sat down, suddenly nervous. The villager was very old, but his dark green eyes were piercing.

“So,” he began. His accent turned most of his vowels into a throaty purr. “I am the village elder. It’s not nearly as dramatic as it sounds. It’s just the title given to whoever’s the oldest at the time. Now, what do you want to ask?”

“Has anything weird happened here? Ever? Anything truly bizarre and out of the ordinary?” Casey asked earnestly.

“Hmmm, not that I can recall. A long time ago, we used to get constant reports of strange sounds of the woods, but not anymore.”

_ Woods. There  _ ** _are_ ** _ oak trees somewhere nearby. _

“What about humans? Other than me of course, have you ever seen any others here? And if so, were they alone or in groups?”

He scratched his big nose and stared into space for a long moment. “I think there was one thing.”

Xe leaned forward unconsciously.

“About, oh, sixty years ago, we had a  _ bunch _ of humans. A huge group. They gathered in the area for a few weeks, coming from all different directions, then left just as fast. We never found out why.”

“Where in the area? In the village itself, or in the forest, or . . .”

“Just sort of . . . everywhere? We saw them in the woods, wandering between our houses, walking through the tall grass.”

Casey frowned, then sighed, and stood up. “Thank you.”

“I take it from your expression this wasn’t the information you were looking for?” the old villager said shrewdly.

“No, not really. Thank you for helping anyways. It was interesting, at least,” xe offered a brave smile.

He smiled, almost wistfully. “I’d say good luck, but I don’t think you need it. You humans can do anything you put your minds to.”

“Thank you?”

He laughed and shooed xem out of the house.

Unsatisfied with the information xe’d gotten so far, xe advanced to the next step in xir plan: Exploring and examining the area xemself.

First, xe walked the whole perimeter of the village.

For the most part, it seemed like an average village of the plains. Xe was already familiar with the South end of the village, because that was where xe’d came from. The East and West sides seemed ordinary as well, aside from a pond on the Eastern edge that Casey examined thoroughly.

The North side however, was a little strange. It sloped up sharply, so a few houses were much higher up than the rest of the village. Xe climbed the hill curiously -- and nearly fell to xir death.

The other side of the hill wasn’t a slope at all but rather a sheer cliff. Xe almost walked right off the edge. The cliff marked the border between the plains and a region of forested hills.

Xe shaded xir eyes from the setting sun’s rays and peered at the sprawling hills below them. The cliff provided a pretty great view, at least. Those must be the woods the village elder had mentioned.

Casey would explore it tomorrow. For now, the sun was setting, the monsters would be out, and xe was exhausted.

Despite xir fatigue, sleep was still slow to take xem. The “long gray fall” part of the riddle was worrying xem. Maybe xe was just a little morbid after so long without them, but xir first thought was that it was some kind of metaphor for death. And taken literally it was just as bad. Xe wasn’t about to go around leaping into every vertical, free-fall cave entrance xe found.

Well, only as a last resort.

Xe finally fell asleep feeling like xe  _ almost _ had it, like there was just more piece of the puzzle xe was missing.

Early the next morning, Casey sat straight up in bed and scrambled for xir journal. The answer had come to xem in the night.

Xe’d already asked about true stories and explored the physical village. But xe hadn’t even touched on myths or urban legends or community-wide inside jokes. They were just as important, and sometimes more powerful.

Xe gulped down the bare minimum of a breakfast and rushed outside to question the first villager xe saw.

“Hey! Hey! Uh, hello, good morning, um -- sorry for the trouble, but do you happen to know any local legends or anything about, uh, oak trees?” xe blurted quickly. Xe was dimly aware of how manic xe must sound, but xe didn’t really care.

The villager stared at xem for a long, uncomfortable moment. 

“Not that I can recall. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get to work,” he replied, rather primly.

“Oh, of course, right, sorry, my bad,” xe rambled, and backpedaled furiously.

All the villagers would be at work. Xe needed to find someone who wore the plain brown robes of the unemployed.

Someone like . . . the village elder! Of course!

Casey sprinted for his house and knocked crazily on the door.

“Oh, it’s you again. Figure something out?” he asked, beckoning them in.

“I might have!” xe exclaimed. “Listen, do you know anything -- any myths, or local stories, or cultural, um, things -- about oak trees?”

“Ummm . . . no, not really. I’m not up to date on the urban legends. You’d be better off asking one the kids,” he replied apologetically.

“Okay, got it, thank you,” xe blurted, already running for the door.

Xe spotted two of the village children running laps around the town square and waved at them.

“Hey!” xe called from across the square. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”

The village children looked at each other.

“We’re not supposed to get close to big humans,” one yelled back.

“Oh. That’s . . . a good policy, actually,” xe admitted. “Is it okay if I talk to you from all the way over here?”

They looked at each other again and nodded.

“Have you heard any stories about oak trees?”

The pair pondered it for a good full minute or more before shaking their heads.

“Okay, um, what about, uh . . . have you heard anything about a ‘long gray fall’?” xe tried.

“Oh! Do you mean Grayfall?” piped up one.

“Grayfall?” Casey echoed.

“The cliff!” the other said, pointing North. “It’s called Grayfall. We’re not allowed near it.”

Xir open-mouthed stare suddenly turned into a wide grin.

“Right! Okay! Thanks!” xe waved good-bye and ran for the cliff.

Xe reached the top of the hill, chest heaving, and stared down into the forest below.

The riddle said the oak tree was “at the end of a long gray fall”. There  _ were _ plenty of oak trees down there.

Xe needed to get down there and investigate further. The only problem was getting down safely.

The simplest solution would be to hang a very long ladder from the top and climb down. It would take a lot of wood, but xe had plenty in xir inventory pack . . .

Casey turned and raced back to the inn. Xe was getting a lot of strange looks now, running around at full speed.

In xir rented room, xe moved the chair up to the crafting table and dropped xir inventory pack next to it. Xe settled into the chair, grabbed some planks from xir pack, and got to work.

Each plank had to be cut into wooden dowels, then those dowels needed to be lashed together to form the ladder. Xe sank into the rhythm quickly, first cutting all the sticks xe’d need, then beginning the long and tedious process of weaving them into a ladder. Halfway through, xe ran out of sticks and had to convert a few logs into planks before xe could make more.

An hour or so later, Casey was satisfied. Xe crammed the whole thing into xir pack and jogged back to the cliff, ignoring the weird glances xe was starting to get used to.

At the top of the cliff, Grayfall, xe anchored xir ladder and started the climb. Every few meters, xe’d need to manually attach the next ladder segment before descending further. This far from the ground, just one little slip-up could kill or at least mortally injure xem.

By the time xe got to the ground below, xe was damp with sweat and trembling uncontrollably from the pent-up adrenaline and fear. When xe touched down, xir knees nearly gave out. Xe sat down cross-legged on the grass and gave xemself a few minutes to recover.

After the shakes became manageable and xir breathing became regular(ish), xe stood back up and stretched.

There were a lot of oak trees down here. The riddle only said “beneath the oak tree”. So only one oak tree had the “cloaked key”, but there were no clues to which one.

Xe’d try the ones closest to Grayfall first. If that didn’t work, xe’d start testing the ones further and further from it.

Casey hefted xir trusty shovel and got to work.

Xe cleared a space big enough for xem to crawl through beneath the first one. Nothing.

It was the same on the second.

Xe was starting to get really nervous. The anxious “it’s a trap” thoughts xe’d had on the way to the village were bubbling up again.

Xe went on to the third, desperation beginning to overwhelm xir initial excitement.

Xir shovel bounced off something hard, reverberating in xir hands. Xe stared down at it in wonder, then cautiously drove it into the ground again.

A harsh, metallic crunch stopped the blade dead. It sounded like metal on stone.

Casey threw the shovel aside and knelt to dig with xir hands. Xe stubbed a fingertip on something solid and honed in on that area.

Before long, xe’d unearthed something.

It wasn’t a key. Not a physical, goes-in-a-lock key, at least.

It was a lever. The wood of it was rotting and it was entirely caked in dirt, but it was a lever.

Xe glanced between the lever and the cliff numerous times.

Should xe try it now? Or should xe return to the inn and come back prepared?

What if it only opened the “gate in the wall” once? Xe didn’t want to just leave it open, but what if xe closed it and it stayed like that forever?

But, alternatively, it could be a fluke. There was a chance it wouldn’t even work, as old and filthy as it was. Xe didn’t want to get all prepared for nothing.

After an inner debate of embarrassing length, Casey made xir choice. Xe’d never heard of a one-use lever. Xe’d have to risk it.

Xe took a deep breath. Glanced around to make sure no one was around. Took another deep breath.

Xe pulled the lever.

And Grayfall  _ moved. _

A large section of the cliff sank back into the wall a full meter, creating quite a deafening scrape of stone on stone. Then, with a long, slow pneumatic hiss, the depressed section split in half and both halves were pulled aside.

Casey stood up, awed. That had to be one of the coolest things xe’d ever seen.

The “gate in the wall”, now open, revealed a long, dark tunnel that stretched so deep into blackness xe couldn’t see the other end.

Xe could feel xir heart racing. There really was something here. It hadn’t been a wild goose chase.

Could still be a trap though.  _ Into risk, you will descend . . . _

Casey wouldn’t go any further today, now matter how desperately curious xe was. The riddle had explicitly stated to have a sword at the ready.

For now, xe’d close the hole in the cliff. Even if the ancient machinery refused to reopen, xe knew where to dig. Xe’d spend the rest of the day prepping a little shelter down here, so xe’d have a place to go if the tunnel got too dangerous. Plus, xe was running out of emeralds to pay the innkeeper with. Then, xe’d wake up early tomorrow morning to explore it.

Reluctantly, xe pulled the lever, returning it to its original position.

Grayfall rumbled and suddenly the tunnel was closed off again. Xe couldn’t even see where it used to be. The cliff looked perfectly normal in every way.

Xe found a Y-shaped stick on the ground and stuck it in the dirt before the hidden tunnel to mark its location.

Then, xe began the arduous climb back up to the village.

By sunset, xe had everything prepared. Xe’d built a crude shelter in the woods near Grayfall, even going so far as to shore up the wooden walls with cobblestone. Next, xe’d thanked the innkeeper profusely for waiving the fee, and moved all xir things down to the shelter. Xe’d waved good-bye to the fascinated villager children, and the village elder had wished xem good luck as xe began climbing down.

Everything was ready. All xe needed now was a good night’s rest.

Naturally, sleep was a long time coming that night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally, a chapter I'm actually happy with! they're only gonna get better from here folks! :D


	5. Into Risk

Casey stretched in the early-morning sunlight, spirits higher than they’d been in quite a while. Xe felt determined, excited, and . . .  _ hopeful. _

Xe double-checked the contents of xir pack for the third time that morning. Sword, pickaxe, shovel, and axe, all recently repaired on a grindstone. Bow and  _ plenty _ of arrows. Shiny iron helm, chainmail leggings, and tough leather boots. An iron chestplate, iridescent with enchantments. A few steaks and a bundle of bread loaves. Worn bedroll. Some logs to bridge gaps or break down into wood-based materials. And of course, more torches than should really be humanly possible.

Everything else, xe left in a large trunk in the shelter.

The sun had just cleared the trees when xe set out.

To xir immense relief, the lever still worked and the tunnel still opened.

Xe took a deep breath of fresh forest air, relishing the subtle fragrance more than xe usually would. If this was going to be xir last breath of surface air, xe wanted to savor it.

Casey struck a torch on the rough-hewn wall and held it at arms-reach. The warm flame illuminated the corridor around xem, but didn’t provide enough light for xem to see the end.

The tunnel smelled old and musty, like the traveler’s cabin. No one had been here for a very long time.

Xe set xir shoulders and advanced into the darkness.

It didn’t take long for xem to see why xe needed to bring a sword.

Left alone in the dark for so long, the corridor was filled with night beasts.

The green creepers, looking for all the world like unusually tall shrubs, were the most dangerous and needed to be taken out first.

Xe hefted xir bow and sank three arrows into the nearest one. It keeled over without a sound and evaporated into thick gray smoke. Xe moved immediately to the next, which only took two arrows. Before xe could take out the third and last creeper, however, xe was distracted by a pale flash just before xir eyes.

An arrow.

Xe flinched and glanced up to see a bow-wielding skeleton leering at xem, already drawing another arrow.

Casey looked at the approaching creeper, then at the skeleton, then back to the creeper.

Then, xe made xir decision and charged the skeleton head on.

It seemed surprised by the unexpectedness and ferocity of xir attack. Xe carved a deep slice on its ribcage with xir first attack, then darted behind it before it could retaliate. Xe leapt into the air and brought the blade down on the beast as it turned to face xem. The blow knocked its forearm clean off, disarming it. Finally, xe adjusted xir grip on the sword and plunged it between the skeleton’s ribs, deep enough for the metal guard to strike bone and vibrate in xir hands.

The skeleton lost its form and clattered to the stone floor in a pile of bones, most of which dissolved into gray mist.

Panting, xe looked up to see the creeper almost upon them. Indeed, already the dark pits forming the eyes and mouth of its “face” were beginning to glow from within.

Casey stumbled back and ran.

Directly into the arms of a zombie, of course.

Xe recoiled, disgust and fear threatening to overwhelm xem. The stench of rotting flesh was thick in xir nostrils, and xe swallowed down the urge to retch.

Quickly, xe took stock of the situation. There was another skeleton grinning at xem from the shadows, and the creeper was still approaching. Xe was right next to a zombie, and could see at least three more.

Xir breath came faster and faster. 

_ There’s too much -- what do I -- I don’t what to -- it’s -- too much! TOO MUCH! _

Xe was frozen.

The closest zombie swiped at xem with decaying black claws, and managed to rip a sizeable slash in Casey’s sweatshirt. Xe screamed and suddenly all the panic was gone and xe was pure instinct.

Xe slashed wildly at the beast, driving it further and further back. In xir mind, any complexity or nuance simply ceased to exist. Xe would kill it because otherwise it would hurt xem, and xe didn’t want to be hurt. That’s all there was to it.

And suddenly, the zombie was dead. Xe stared down at its smoking remains, unsure of how exactly that had happened. Had  _ xe  _ done that?

There was no time to ponder the delicate psychology of instinct and free will. Xe still had a tunnel-full of monsters to fight. It was tempting to run out of the tunnel and lure the beasts into the sunlight, but xe wasn’t sure xe had the courage to go back in if xe left.

Confidence restored -- or at least, hysteria abated -- xe returned to xir bow and landed three arrows in the creeper. It toppled and crumbled away. One down.

An arrow bounced off the metal shielding xir shoulder. Thank stars for Protection III.

Casey let out a strange primal howl, half-scream and half-roar, and let loose with arrow after arrow. Xe was nocking the sixth when xe realized it was already dead.

On to the zombies. Luckily, while this particular breed of night beast was especially plentiful, they were also especially slow and lumbering.

Xe gripped xir sword a little tighter and sprinted toward the closest zombie, slicing its arm as xe raced by. Xir momentum carried xem almost to the next one, so xe kept running and aimed an arcing strike at its neck as xe passed it. Hit and run. Hit and run.

The third however, managed to whirl as xe darted behind it, and swiped at xir thigh. The chainmail leggings deflected the sharp claws, but they couldn’t guard against the blunt force of the blow. That was gonna leave a bruise.

Casey flinched but kept running. To slow or stop was to die.

Xe continued to dash around the zombies, slashing at whatever xe could without stopping. Xir frenzied sprint usually carried xem out of harm’s way, but more than once one of the undead was able to land a hit.

One fell. Another clawed at xir chest and left three long grooves in the iron breastplate. Then another collapsed and crumbled. Just one left.

And suddenly, the tunnel was empty.

Casey turned a full circle, making absolutely sure there were no monsters left.

Xir sword struck the stone floor with a metallic clatter. Xir heavy breathing seemed entirely too loud in the abrupt silence.

Dazed and barely aware of what xe was doing, xe pulled a bundle of torches from xir pack and placed them all over the corridor, ensuring no more night beasts could manifest here.

Then, xe sat down with xir back against the wall and covered xir face with xir hands. 

Xe’d been in life-threatening danger before, of course. On numerous occasions xe’d nearly fallen into pools of lava, or off tall cliffs or misjudged how long it would take to swim to the surface of a lake. Just recently, xe’d almost starved to death trying to find xir way out of the mountains.

But there was such a vast, stark difference between that kind of life-endangerment, and . . .  _ this _ kind. There’s time to be annoyed, to be remorseful, and to make peace with it. With starvation in particular, there’s  _ plenty _ of time. But nearly dying because you’re being  _ attacked? _ It’s different. It’s fast and stressful and violating and you don’t have time to make peace with anything because you’re  _ fighting _ , harming another being so you can survive.

Casey hoped the night beasts didn’t feel pain.

Then, xe closed xir eyes and focused on xir breathing. Inhale for four seconds, hold it for two, exhale for three. Once xe had that down, xe slowed it down further, inhaling for seven seconds, holding it for five, and exhaling for six.

_ It’s okay. I’m alive. The Erators haven’t found me yet. I’m still looking for them. It’s gonna be okay. I’m alive, and I’m looking for them, and that’s all that matters. Everything’s gonna be alright. _

Xe stood up, picked up xir sword, and continued down the corridor.

It seemed to be a good twenty meters long, if not more so. But at the end, it just stopped. No door leading to a room or another tunnel, no staircase leading up or down, no vertical drop leading to a cave below. Nothing.

Except for a small lever on the rightmost wall.

Casey examined the tunnel’s end carefully, but couldn’t find anything but the lever. Xe had no idea what it would do. It could open another hidden doorway, or drop several tons of gravel on xir head. It could be the way forward or the end of the line.

Xe sighed and pulled the lever.

The stone beneath xem moved, and xe sprang back with a cry. With a mechanical hiss and a deep rumble, a section of floor split down the middle, and each half slid aside. Just like the door to the cliff.

But at the same moment, something behind xem let out a familiar, heavy scraping noise.

Xe whirled to see the entrance of the tunnel closing. The two stone halves of the door slammed together with a  _ BOOM _ that shook the corridor.

Xe was trapped.

Casey made an odd half-groan, half-whine noise in the back of xir throat, a noise of pure frustrated despair.

Then, xe turned to look at the new opening. Nowhere to go but forward.

It had revealed a spiral staircase, leading down into depths unknown. And this one, thankfully, was well-lit by torches at uniform intervals. Xe wasn’t sure xe could fight many more night monsters.

Trepidation rising, xe started down the staircase.

It wasn’t very long, and at the end, xe found . . . another long corridor. This one had nearly the same dimensions as the one upstairs but with a higher ceiling. The floor was paved with neat stone bricks, and flickering lanterns hung from the ceiling. Compared to the first tunnel, this one seemed much nicer overall.

Casey was uneasy nonetheless. Xe held xir sword at the ready and advanced cautiously into the hall.

Xir foot caught on something and xe stumbled, nearly falling to the floor.

Without warning, a large section of both the left and right walls slid aside, revealing two identical columns of dispensers. Xe didn’t have time to register this however, as the air before xem had suddenly been filled with arrows. 

Xe backpedaled quickly, heart hammering. The moment xe backed away, the dispensers stopped firing and the walls returned to their places. Xe peered closer at the floor before xem, and just barely made out a thin filament running from one wall to the other, just a few inches above the ground.

_ A tripwire. This corridor’s trapped. _

Two arrows had managed to lodge themselves in xir iron chestplate, but luckily they hadn’t gone all the way through. Casey pulled them out, frowning at the little pits left behind.

Xe stepped over it carefully, poised to leap back if the trap triggered. But the hall stayed quiet and motionless.

Extra cautious (and more than a little on-edge) now, xe advanced slowly, examining the floor before each step. Xe avoided two more low-to-the-ground tripwires, and nearly ran into one at forehead-level, but caught xemself just in time. Xir curiosity to see what the traps would do nearly overrode xir common sense on multiple occasions.

Finally, xe made it to the other end of the corridor. The serpentine form of another spiral staircase seemed to move in the flickering lantern-light. Casey sighed, took a moment to focus on xir breathing and steel xemself, then continued deeper into the catacombs. 

This staircase was  _ not _ illuminated by lanterns or torches, which at first made xem very nervous. But, just like the one before it, it wasn’t very long, and warm orange light from the next room lit it up from below.

Xe stepped into the next tunnel and immediately recoiled from the wall of heat that struck xem.

This corridor was longer than the other two, and much, much nicer. Shiny, polished gray tiles covered the floor, and bold, intricate carvings dominated the walls. Xe could even make out a lapis lazuli inlay in the ceiling. A small hopper rested by the leftmost wall.

The only problem was how much of the tunnel was lava.

There were only a few meters of lovely gray tile, gleaming in the lava’s glow, and then the floor just stopped. From that point, all the way to another tiled platform, stretched a huge, rectangular pool of lava.

Casey wondered whether it would technically count as magma because it was underground.

The hopper was most likely an item lock. It would only accept one item, the “key”, and then it would trigger some kind of way across the lava. Xe’d read about those during xir manic reading frenzy at the traveler’s cabin. The item could be anything, and not only had xe packed light for this expedition, but xe’d read about what could happen to the poor soul who dropped in the wrong item.

No, it wasn’t worth the risk.

Xe would have to find another way across the lava. But, xe hadn’t packed anything for crossing large gaps . . . except for the several highly-flammable logs.

Casey sighed. It was the only quick way across, and time was of the essence.

The ceiling was too low for xem to summon a whole log upright then push it over, like xe normally did to cross divides. Plus, the hall was too long for that. It’d be more efficient to break each log into planks, then lay down a new plank every few meters. Xe’d be building a bridge, while on it, while the bridge caught fire.

If xe didn’t find “that which you seek” at the end of this, xe was going to find Button-Up and Green-Tunic and kick them both in the teeth.

Casey took off xir armor, and xir sweatshirt, and stuffed it into xir inventory pack where their weight was vastly lessened. The armor would just weigh xem down in a scenario where speed was essential, and it was warm enough in the sweltering room without an extra fleecy layer.

Then, xe picked a corner farthest from the lava, sat down cross-legged, and began breaking logs down into planks. Xe’d brought plenty of logs, but the process of converting them to planks was a swift one, and xe accomplished the task quickly. Xe had what appeared to be enough planks after only a few minutes of work.

Xe could only hope it was enough. Sitting down to craft more planks in the middle of a flaming bridge would almost certainly be fatal.

Xe stood up and stretched. Best to be as limber and loose as possible for this sort of thing. Xe pulled the first few planks from xir pack.

And xe started building like there was no tomorrow.

Casey fell into a rhythm quickly. Lean forward. Place. Hop forward a few meters. Lean forward. Place. Hop forward a few meters. Repeat.

If one pictured heat as water, the platform was a bowlful before a vast lake. Sweat kept dripping into xir eyes and slicking xir palms. Xe found xemself panting before long, not from exertion but from the thick, oppressive heat. 

It wasn’t long before the familiar, dreaded crackling noise of burning wood reached xir ears. Xe winced and tried to pick up the pace. Before long, the fire was close enough for xem to feel the heat from. _ Great, now I’m being attacked from below  _ ** _and_ ** _ from behind! Delightful! _

Xe glanced back once and immediately regretted it. The part xe’d been on just moments before was a terrible mass of flames, and it was growing only closer.

By the time xe neared the platform on the other side, the fire was lapping at the wood beneath Casey’s feet. More than once, a stray spark landed on xir skin and the jolt of pain almost sent xem tumbling off the bridge into the lava below. The flames were so close they were scorching xir back and arm hairs.

Just a few meters from gray-tiled salvation, the fire licked at Casey’s back, and xe smelled something burning, something other than wood, and realized  _ xir clothes were burning. _

With a wild cry, xe stood up from xir crouch and  _ leapt _ the last few meters. Xe hit the platform hard and rolled to disperse the impact. Then, xe tore the pack from xir shoulders and flung xemself to the floor to extinguish the smoldering fabric.

Xe laid belly-up on the polished tiles for a long moment, gasping for breath. This was the second time today xe’d nearly died a lonely, gruesome death, and xe really wasn’t enjoying it.

After a very long, sweaty moment, Casey deemed xir breathing regular enough. Slowly, xe got xir feet, groaning. Xir body did  _ not _ appreciate the recent activities.

Behind xem, was a long pool of lava that had nearly caused xir demise. And before xem, was a door.

Just a regular door. Not even an iron one. It was made of solid spruce wood, and had a large metal ring for a handle.

Casey looked at it with no small reluctance. Xe wasn’t sure xe could take much more.

Then, with a huge, heavy sigh, xe pushed open the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH YEAH BABEY HERE WE GO


	6. That Which You Seek

Imagine a sapling. Small, delicate, but still easily recognizable as the beginnings of a mighty tree. Now, imagine a vast forest. Trees with colossal trunks and branches stretching to the stars, ancient and powerful and seemingly endless. The sapling, while still a tree, is tiny before it.

The basement of the traveler’s cabin was a sapling, and this, _ this _, was a whole forest.

The ceiling was so high overhead that the lanterns hanging from it seemed like twinkling golden stars in a night sky of dark prismarine, a material Casey had never seen in person. The floor was paved with both stone bricks and beautiful tiles of glazed terracotta that had managed to stay bright and colorful for all these years. The walls were made of stone bricks too, inlaid with multiple patterns of lapis lazuli and dark prismarine. Pillars of shiny, polished dark oak connected the high ceiling and vibrant floor.

But what really dominated the enormous room were the rows and rows of bookshelves, so tall they nearly reached the ceiling. They were completely packed with books.

Casey was wide-eyed, open-mouthed, and entirely speechless for a good long time. Xe’d never seen anything like it. There was just . . . _ so much _ and all in one place.

A huge grin spread across xir face. Xe began to laugh with pure, genuine euphoria. Xe allowed xemself a moment to jump up and down, laughing and cheering and flapping xir hands with excitement.

After a few moments of rejoicing however, xe refocused on the task at hand. Xe was too excited to explore the library to spend too long celebrating anyway.

This library was organized similar to the one in the traveler’s cabin, despite the large difference in size. Some shelves were exclusively nonfiction, others were exclusively fiction, and they were all organized alphabetically by title.

Casey wandered between the gargantuan shelves, dazed. Xe mentally marked down the titles of quite a few nonfiction ones to read later. There were just _ so many books. _ Xe could stay down here for years and never read them all. Xe found xemself in the He’s and stopped dead, awed. 

_ There was no gap in the books. _ The He’s were completely solid. Xe ran to the Mo’s, and it was the same way. There were no books missing here. Amazed, xe trotted back to the He’s, curious to see what was here that hadn’t been anywhere else.

Xir jaw dropped.

_ Herobrine _

_ Herobrine, and How to Avoid Him _

_ Herobrine, History and Possible Explanations _

_ Herobrine: The Complete Guide _

The list went on. There were _ dozens _ of them, all named after the same thing.

“What the _ fuck _,” Casey whispered.

Xe pulled _ Herobrine: The Complete Guide _ from the shelf, curious, and opened it to the table of contents.

_ Part One— What is he? _  
_ Part Two— How is he possible? _  
_ Part Three— How does he behave? _ _  
_Part Four— What can we do?

Xe flipped to Part One, invested now.

_ We’ve all heard the tall tales, campfire ghost stories, and nursery rhymes about the infamous Herobrine, but what is he really? _

_ Let’s begin with a physical description. He appears as a lanky human of average height, with shaggy dark hair, wearing a faded, torn blue shirt and ripped jeans. However, the similarities to our own kind end there. He also has pointed ears, long black claws in place of fingernails, and of course, glowing white eyes without pupils or irises. _

_ Despite his humanoid appearance, he’s rated as a _ ** _-4.2_ ** _ on the JMC Scale, and should not be called upon or interacted with under any circumstances. If you’re close enough to see him, it’s too late. _ ** _Avoid at all costs._ **

Casey ended up reading the entire book. And the next. And then the next two.

After the sixth or seventh, xe leaned back and rubbed xir eyes. Xe was exhausted from xir ordeal on the way here, but xe didn’t want to stop reading. It was _ fascinating. _

Apparently, there had once been a creature called Herobrine. No one knew how he came to be. For years he didn’t exist, and then he did. According to some sources, a tormented young girl went missing from a major town only days before the first reports of his existence started coming in. Some believed she was his first victim, others believed she summoned — or even created — him to punish all those who had hurt her. Still others believed that she was just a myth made to make him seem scarier or more powerful.

For a few years, he taunted and harassed the people of the world. He filled cave systems and forests with traps, frightened children, and brought hell down on anyone who angered him. In this time, multiple organizations centered around him were founded, some dedicated to taking him down and others dedicated to worshipping him.

The descriptions of his abilities were vast and varied. Most sources seemed to agree that he could fly, turn invisible, teleport, launch fireballs, call down lightning bolts, and perform telekinesis. But other than that, no one could agree on what else he could do. Some said he could destroy all the light in a room with a snap of his fingers, or read one’s thoughts, or put people under spells so they would fight for him. Others said he could kill with a word, or break machines by looking at them, or poison someone with a thought. However, he was always rated as a **-4.2** on the JMC Scale, which meant “Jens Monster Classification Scale”. The scale rated the risk and potential usefulness of beasts from **-5** (world-ending), to **0** (completely harmless and completely useless), to **+5** (improving life for all).

Opinions of Herobrine ranged from “unholy abomination” to “gift from heaven”, with very little in-between.

What was really strange was that Casey had heard of him, but _ never knew it was him. _ Plenty of the ghost stories told around campfires had featured a vengeful spirit set on destroying humanity whose abilities _ just happened _ to line up with the abilities all these books listed. Xe’d been told by more than one especially superstitious peer to be careful walking home alone at night, because “White-Eyes will get you, and they’ll never find your body”. But as much as xe _ wanted _ to believe in the paranormal, in magic, xe was a skeptic through and through, and never took any of it seriously.

Yet, according to this vast hidden library, it was all real. All the ghost stories and warnings were about the same thing, and it was all true. Honestly, Xir first instinct was that the whole thing was a very, very elaborate hoax, but xe didn’t think anyone would — or was even capable of — pulling a prank on a scale this big.

Xe was rather tempted to push xir exhaustion aside and read every book with his name on it (of which there were _ many _), but xe was still curious about the rest of the library and wanted to look at some other books before succumbing to sleep. 

As xe’d begun to suspect, most of the Mo’s were books on monsters and mobs, some of which included chapters on Herobrine. Xe guessed that was why so many books in the Mo’s had been removed from the other library.

Why had his existence been so carefully erased anyway? How had this place escaped it?

Casey pushed those thoughts aside. If xe started down that rabbithole, xe’d never get out of the library.

Wandering between the tall shelves, xe found several books worth reading. Detailed studies of the other dimensions, thick atlases, beginner’s guides to cartography, encyclopedias covering all things redstone, books on advanced universe theory, and, xir favorite, _ countless _ journals and autobiographies written by travelers before xem.

Xe was very glad xe’d brought food and xir bedroll.

Casey pulled the more interesting-looking novels from the shelves and stacked them neatly on a round wooden table hidden away in the corner. But, as fascinated and excited as xe was, xe was _ exhausted. _ Xe’d nearly died several times, xir entire body was bruised and singed, xe’d come across a wealth of knowledge surpassing xir wildest dreams, and xe’d uncovered what looked like a global conspiracy.

Xe set up xir bedroll next to the little table, slipped in, and fell asleep instantly. Xe’d read more in the morning.

Over the course of almost a week, Casey read more books than xe’d thought humanly possible. 

If xe hadn’t been plotting and scheming and stressed out the entire time, xe would have enjoyed xemself immensely. Xe learned _ so much. _ Xe devoured books on redstone, the other dimensions, and night beasts like a starving man might devour a feast. To xir delight, this library had the second and third books in the series xe’d started reading in the traveler’s cabin, the one with a dragon on the cover of the first book. But, the end of the third one announced that the upcoming _ fourth _ one was going to be the finale. Xe could only hope xe found the fourth and final book eventually.

About two days in, xe had an idea. A reckless, stupid idea. By the fifth day, xe had an entire plan. A reckless, stupid, ingenious, _ perfect _ plan.

It had started when xe came across a journal written by a self-proclaimed monsterhunter.

One of the later entries proudly announced that Herobrine had been vanquished, banished from this world. Doubtful, Casey wrote down the date of that entry and searched for accounts written near that date but by different people. To xir surprise, xe found that apparently he really had been banished. Multiple travelers, cultists, and bounty hunters reported the same thing, at the same time.

Fascinated now, xe found a diary supposedly written by one of the people who’d actually helped vanquish him. The entry on that subject said they’d _ “simply followed the void theory mentioned in _ ** _Universe and Beyond_ ** _ by D. Bone and used multiple high-complexity redstone contraptions in conjunction with inter-dimensional associations and localized fine-particle clouds, as well as the power-impeding nature of the new moon, to rip a hole in the fabric of the universe” _ , then _ “pushed him into the hole and immediately halted everything currently working to keep it open so the universe could close it like it would naturally” _.

Of course, Casey’s first thought reading that was complete and utter bewilderment. But xir second was curiosity.

Xe found the book the account had mentioned, _ Universe and Beyond _. It was a thick volume that discussed numerous studies and concepts based around advanced universe theory. The “void theory” turned out to be the idea that through the use of several devices — nicknamed “molasses machines” — working together, one could create conditions where the normal laws of physics began to deteriorate, and from there open a rift in the universe. D. Bone believed the rift could lead to a place beyond the entire known universe, beyond even the Void. This was the place they’d banished Herobrine to. The Place Beyond the Void.

From there, xe looked up “molasses machines”, and found that the term covered quite a broad range. There were certain things that, when used in high amounts, caused the air to feel like molasses, making it very hard to move. These included big, complicated redstone devices, huge amounts of smoke or fine powder in the air, tremendous chains of consecutive explosions, and large quantities of flowing lava.

After quite a bit of flipping back and forth between the diary, _ Universe and Beyond _, and numerous encyclopedias, xe could finally decipher that entire sentence from the diary. 

That planted the seed of the idea.

Next, Casey went to the books on monsters. After the unpleasant experience with all the night beasts in the first tunnel, xe wanted to find some tips on dealing with them.

Xe _ did _ find a few, like the best strategy for dealing with skeleton archers, what to do if you accidentally looked an enderman in the eyes, and how to lure zombies into falling to their deaths. But mostly, xe found paragraph after paragraph discussing Herobrine’s vast power.

That watered the seed of the idea.

But what really made it sprout was a journal written by a historian dedicated to unraveling Herobrine’s many mysteries.

_ A recurring theme I’ve noticed among witnesses is this idea of . . . trade. Many of the cult leaders dedicated to him say they helped him with something and he repaid the favor by giving them whatever they wanted. There are numerous reports from miners and explorers who claim that he’s helped them out of tight spots as long as they agreed to pay him back somehow later on. _

_ Of course, my guess is that it’s a sort of “deal with the devil” scenario. You can buy his cooperation but the price is your soul. _

An incredibly powerful being who was willing to do things as long as he was reimbursed. One who could supposedly sense humans from enormous distances, no less.

Casey was starting to seriously consider it, but didn’t let xemself plan anything out. It would be a last resort.

But, as xe read more and more, xe realized it might be xir only choice. There was nothing else that could give xem what xe wanted. Xe could only hope it would work.

Before long, xe was jotting down ideas and schemes and lists of things xe’d need. Plenty of redstone dust, pistons, maybe a few repeaters . . . some kind of fine powder (preferably glowstone dust), netherrack pillars, a full moon . . . Soon, Casey was planning how to get those materials and where xe’d go to perform the full ritual.

Before xe knew it, xe had a whole scheme prepared. The full moon was in only a few days, and xe didn’t want to wait for the next one, so xe’d be on a bit of a time crunch. But xe had complete faith in xir abilities nonetheless. If this didn’t work, xe’d get them back through sheer will alone.

There was a good chance that after all this, the ritual wouldn’t even work. No one knew what the Place Beyond the Void was like, if it really did exist. It was always possible the universe had evolved so much since then that this theory was obsolete. Of course, getting caught in the act would spell very, very bad news for Casey. Summoning demons, even long-forgotten ones, was likely _ super _ illegal. And if xe was brought before the Erators for such a heinous crime, they would know what xe was trying to do, and the deal would be off and they’d kill xem on the spot.

Xe didn’t care.

Xe was going to get them back at all costs or die trying. Life without them wasn’t really worth living anyway. No punishment for trying to get them back could be worse than living without them.

If this is what it took, xe would do it. Without hesitation. Consequences be damned.

Casey was going to summon Herobrine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AT LAST! IT'S HAPPENING!!!
> 
> EDIT: fixed up two areas that were lacking the sense of ominous conspiracy and tangible power that I was really going for
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	7. Before the Full Moon

Leaving the facility was much easier than getting in had been. A simple stone button next to the library door activated a circuit that pushed a stone ledge out from the wall, negating the need for another dangerous speed-bridging exercise. Casey already had an idea of where the traps of the second hall were, and avoided them easily. And since xe’d lit up the first tunnel with countless torches, there were no night beasts to greet xem.

Xe pulled the lever, sealing the staircase behind xem and opening the exit to the tunnel. Bright, rosy morning sunlight spilled into the corridor, and suddenly xe was running, desperate to feel the sun again.

Xe burst free of the shadowy, torch-lit tunnel and looked up at the glowing blue sky overhead with a big grin. Casey hadn’t realized how much xe’d missed the sky and sun and fresh air and green smell of the outdoors.

But xe didn’t give xemself long to enjoy it. The full moon was rapidly approaching, and xe had a lot of work to do.

Casey went straight for the cave openings xe’d seen on the long walk to the village. In order to make the copious quantities of molasses machines xe would need, xe needed plenty of pistons, repeaters, and plain old redstone dust. So finding redstone was xir number one priority.

Two of the caves xe explored were barely more than winding tunnels, and didn’t get xem anywhere near redstone level. But one of the others led xem to a massive ravine, which in turn led xem to at least two other cave systems.

Once xe started finding gold and frequently encountering lava pools, xe knew xe was close. Sure enough, xe soon glimpsed the bright, glittering crimson of redstone ore, precariously near a patch of hot lava. Certain that xe was at redstone level, Casey picked a direction and began branch-mining. Xe hated branch-mining when there were caves to be explored, but under the time constraints xe didn’t have a choice.

Luckily, redstone was plentiful at this level, and xe didn’t have to do much of it before xe had enough.

Next, xe tackled the issue of glowstone. Xe needed a lot of it, in both block and powder form. And the only place that had it in such abundance was the dreaded Nether.

Casey dove back into the mines and started hauling up buckets of lava. It took xem nearly a day to build the portal, because xe had to carry full buckets of lava up to the surface from deep within the earth. Xe poured lava into a cobblestone mold, then dumped water in over it. With a tremendous sizzle and blast of steam, the lava was converted into glossy obsidian. Xe scooped the water back up and repeated the process on the next section of the portal. It was a sweaty, dangerous, and overall unpleasant job, but xe powered through it. 

Finally, there came a time when xe took down the cobblestone shell to reveal a perfect, oval-shaped ring of obsidian. The obsidian was dark and shiny, and had a strange purple glint that seemed to come from within. Frankly, it gave Casey the creeps.

Xe double-checked xir gear about six times before deeming xemself ready. The Nether was a very, very dangerous place, especially for someone going solo without even a full set of iron armor.

Then, xe pulled xir trusty flint and steel from xir pack and unleashed a shower of sparks onto the obsidian. They laid there for a moment, then twinkled, turned violet, and started sending up huge plumes of purple smoke. The smoke filled the entire oval, then violet flames raced up the smoke and disappeared just as fast, leaving behind a hypnotic purple surface. It seemed almost like a sheet of violet glass — Casey could see through it — but the way it moved, twisting and spiraling and sparkling, horribly unsettling and beautifully transfixing, was completely alien.

Xe took a deep breath and leapt in.

The violet swirls darted up xir arms and legs, covering xir entire body and filling xir mind. Xe felt xemself twist to the rhythm, suddenly nothing more than a spiral on a purple pane of liquid glass.

And then xe . . .  _ un-twisted _ somehow, and the violet spirals left xir body. The portal spat xem out onto a rough, warm surface.

Casey sucked in a deep breath, relieved to breathe again, only to choke and double up coughing. After only a few moments, xe managed to regain control of xir lungs. Xe sat up and got xir first real look at the world around xem.

The air here was thick with fine dust that caught in xir throat, made xir eyes water, and lent a red haze to everything. It smelled like warm stone, smoky lava, and something similar to gunpowder but  _ tangier _ . The rock beneath xem was a strange ruddy color, unfortunately similar in appearance to raw meat, and had a rough, crumbly texture. It was uncomfortably hot here, too, and the heat seemed to radiate from the netherrack itself.

But the most noticeable trait of this place was the scope of it. It stretched on and on until the red haze concealed it. There was no place in the Overworld that had formations like this. High overhead, a netherrack ceiling studded with little clusters of glowing golden rock seemed to go on forever. The ground xe was standing on went on for sixty meters or so before dropping off abruptly. Xe could see similar overhangs and midair-islands and misshapen pillars beyond it. Judging from orange underglow, they were all suspended over oceans of magma.

In all honesty, it was kind of the coolest place ever. Casey itched to explore and discover, but xe had a job to do. There’d be time for that later.

First, xe collected enough netherrack for the four pillars. The ruddy rock was soft and crumbly and practically melted beneath xir pickaxe. 

Next, xe stacked cobblestone to form a tall, thin tower, tall enough to reach the glowstone clusters on the ceiling. Once they were directly overhead and within easy reach, xe started tapping at it. The glowstone dust was simultaneously sour and spicy in xir nostrils, and made xir eyes burn. Before long, xe’d collected all xe could from that cluster, and had to build a crude cobblestone bridge over to the next. It was both stressful and strenuous, mining something directly over xir head while on such a precarious perch so high off the ground.

Finally, xe had gathered enough by xir calculations. Xe returned to the cobblestone pillar and began mining at it, slowly bringing xemself closer and closer to the ground.

When xe was only a few meters from the bottom, disaster struck.

A high-pitched, curious whine rather like that of a kitten reached xir ears. Xe looked up and found xemself staring straight at a huge, tentacled white beast hanging in the air. It’s pale body was faintly translucent and pulsated slightly, as if to keep it afloat. Xe’d read about these.

“It’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt you,” Casey tried. “You’re a good boy, right? A nice ghast?”

The ghast promptly ballooned, nearly doubling in size, and launched a crackling fireball at xem.

Xe dove off the pillar, gladly taking sore ankles over being blasted to bits. The flaming projectile struck the cobblestone behind xem and exploded with a earth-shaking  _ BOOM! _ The shockwave knocked xem to the rough netherrack, the blast of heat stinging the back of xir arms and legs.

Casey scrambled upright and sprinted for the portal like there was no tomorrow. Xe could hear the ghast inhaling for another attack behind xem. The violet swirls of the portal glowed just a few meters from xem.

Xe felt a flash of trepidation, reluctant to be consumed by the spirals again, but suddenly the sizzling roar of another fireball was on xir heels. Xe flung xemself in without further thought.

A moment later, xe collapsed into the tall prairie grass. The Overworld was delightfully,  _ deliciously _ cool and green after the endless red warmth of the Nether. Xe sucked in a deep breath, grateful for the ability to breathe without choking on the very air.

Then xe smiled. Finally, Casey had everything xe needed.

Xe spent the entire next day crafting. 

Xe started the furnaces early in the day, melting cobblestone down into regular stone, and smelting ore into iron ingots. While they melted and smelted, xe began converting some of the glowstone dust to blocks. When the first batch of iron ingots was done, xe crafted plenty of pistons, and when the first batch of stone was done, xe got to work making redstone repeaters.

The process took hours. Casey only paused for food when a concerned villager made xem eat lunch. 

Finally, just as the sun was setting, xe counted the results one last time and found them to be sufficient. Xe had enough glowstone blocks, enough redstone torches enough pistons, and enough repeaters.

Xe was ready.

But there was no time to celebrate or rest. The moon — the full moon — would be rising soon, and Casey still had to get everything set up.

Xe packed everything xe’d need into xir inventory pack and set off for the location xe’d already chosen. There was a large clearing in the woods, not far from Grayfall. It was here xe planned to perform the ritual.

In the waning light of day, xe reached the clearing.

First, xe erected four netherrack columns, and drew two concentric circles in redstone dust, with the columns in the space between the circles. Next, xe lit the tops of the netherrack pillars with xir flint and steel. It’d be easier to perform the rest of the ritual if xe had some firelight to see by.

Then, Casey began building the primary molasses machines: several pistons moving glowstone blocks back and forth. There was no time to slay slimes for slimeballs, so xe’d had to modify the original designs quite a bit to compensate for the lack of sticky pistons.

The moon was high in the sky when xe completed the preparations. Xe was running out of time.

Despite the shrinking window of opportunity, xe paused.

Between the flaming pillars, red circles, tangled machinery, and full moon overhead, the whole situation seemed truly sinister. Almost demonic.

What was xe  _ doing? _ Summoning some great beast of old? Even if he  _ was _ real, this could go wrong in so many ways. He could spring out of the circle and kill Casey on the spot. Worse, he could go straight to the Erators and tell them xir plans.

_ They _ would know what to do. But they weren’t here. It was their absence that had gotten xem into this whole mess.

Xe closed xir eyes, took a deep breath, and forcefully shoved the doubt from xir mind. When xe opened xir eyes, they were focused and determined.

With new resolve, Casey reached into xir pouch of glowstone dust and began the ritual.

On the very outskirts of reality, something in the universe shifted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> blehhh not as happy with this one. at least writing about the Nether is always fun
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	8. Just an Average, Perfectly Ordinary Night

On the edge of the universe, there is a place where existence ceased. It’s technically part of the universe, yes, but it’s beyond the universe’s jurisdiction. There’s no air, or light, or temperature. There’s no physical or metaphysical sensation. Reality simply stopped there.

If Herobrine had been human, he would have died the moment the Place Beyond the Void swallowed him. Instantly winked out of existence.

But he wasn’t human, and he was nothing if not stubborn.

When the Place Beyond the Void first closed around him, there were a few horrifying seconds of consciousness. There was  _ nothing. _ He couldn’t see or feel or smell  _ anything. _ But worst of all, he couldn’t  _ sense  _ anything. He couldn’t sense any humans around him, or any cave systems beneath him, or any animals grazing.

He had had just enough time to be shocked, repulsed, and deeply afraid, in that order, before the rift had closed and he’d ceased to exist.

But the Place Beyond the Void was technically part of the universe, and so the connection between him and reality wasn’t entirely severed. Herobrine was frozen, in both time and space. While he  _ could _ exist again in the future, right now  _ he didn’t. _

And he didn’t for many, many years.

Under the stress of Casey’s molasses machines, the universe trembled. 

Something on its outer fringe twitched.

Casey began the ritual by tossing generous amounts of glowstone dust in the air. The fine powder hung in the air and filled the area with golden fog. It stung xir eyes and caught in xir throat.

Despite the discomfort, the process kindled a strange shivery feeling in xir chest. Xe felt like xe was doing something truly  _ big. _ Something  _ impactful. _ Xe found xemself breathless with excitement.

When xir pouch was half-empty, xe moved on to the next step.

Casey wiped xir glowing hands on xir pants and pulled an inconspicuous lever.

The signal raced down a line of redstone dust that split into several, and then several more. Dozens of pistons sprang to life simultaneously. The rhythmic scraping and hissing was nearly deafening.

The effect was immediate and noticeable.

Casey tried to take a step forward and found it shockingly difficult. It was like wading through incredibly thick water. Like, well, like molasses.

Xe went on, throwing more glowstone dust into the air. Sometimes, when xe moved, xir body would unexpectedly reverse the motion without xir permission. It was extremely disconcerting and unsettling. Other times, xe would abruptly find xemself stuck, unable to move any of xir limbs. Then, bodily autonomy would return to xem without warning, and xe’d fling xemself much farther forward than xe’d intended.

A sharp wind picked up suddenly. It blew gritty glowstone dust into xir eyes, which stung and made xir eyes water. The trees swayed with a loud noise like waves crashing as their leaves collided crazily. The fires on top of each netherrack column were bent nearly horizontal.

Between the wind, the trees, and the countless pistons firing, Casey couldn’t hear anything over their collective roar.

The wind also seemed to gathering the clouds of glowstone powder in the middle of the circle. The center grew brighter and brighter as the haze coalesced. Lightning crackled between the netherrack pillars, but xe could barely hear it.

Then, a horrible emptiness yawned around xem. It felt like the moment of free-fall between the top of the cliff overhead and the lake below, and staring into the dark, bottomless pit leading to a cave. Xe shuddered involuntarily, feeling xir stomach drop.

Something glowing streaked up out of the center of the circle like a shooting star. Casey craned xir head instinctively to follow it, but a beam of light like that from a beacon shot up immediately after it and blinded xem.

And then the circle exploded.

Casey was flung backwards and rolled at least two full meters on the ground. Before xe even had the chance to stand up, there was a thunderclap, and then a noise so indescribably  _ big _ it made rolling thunder sound puny by comparison.

Every resident in the nearby village woke up in unison, breathing hard like they’d just ran a mile. Several endermen nearby dropped the chunks of sod they’d been holding, stunned. The night monsters prowling the forest stopped dead, head’s snapping up.

The very universe was different somehow.

Xir eyes throbbed, xir ears were ringing, and xir shoulders and hips already ached from the unexpected, high-speed roll. Xe’d be bruised all over tomorrow.

But xe stood up nonetheless, rubbing xir eyes. Xe had to see this. What had happened?

The circle had been reduced to a smoking crater. The netherrack pillars had been toppled and broken into flaming chunks that now lay scattered across the clearing. The redstone dust connecting and powering the molasses machines had been blasted away by the impact. After such a cacophony, the sudden quiet was bizarre and eerie.

Quiet, yes, but not silent. Xe could just barely hear what sounded like faint laughter. Casey raised xir gaze a bit and gasped.

Every tree bordering the clearing had been completely stripped of limbs and leaves. All that remained were perfectly vertical poles, strange and uncanny. Xe looked a bit higher still, to the night sky, and this time xir breath stopped entirely.

There was something floating there, dark against the stars. And it was laughing.

Casey tried to force out some kind of greeting, but couldn’t. Xe was speechless.

The something shifted, twisted in the air, and crashed to the ground directly in front of xem. Xe took a half-step back, breathless with a strange mix of curiosity and fear and excitement. Up close, xe was quite sure it wasn’t some _ thing _ , but some _ one. _ It moved like and was shaped like a human, though it was hard to tell under the hooded black cloak it wore.

It stood up and flipped back the hood, revealing pointed, triangular ears. And then it opened its eyes.

Its empty, pure white eyes. They glowed brightly, illuminating an otherwise normal-looking face, and forcing xem to squint.  _ He’s real. _

“Hello, human!” he greeted cheerfully. “Oh, it feels good to be back!”

“You’re . . . real,” xe breathed, amazed beyond words. Now  _ this _ , this whole scenario, was the coolest thing xe’d ever seen, hands down.

“I am now,” he replied, and xe realized with a jolt of shock that his tongue was bright blue and also appeared to be glowing, albeit much fainter than his eyes. He grabbed xir hand and shook it. Other than being icy cold, his hands seemed normal. Xe couldn’t see any sign of the infamous black claws.

“I . . . um, I . . .” xe recovered xir wits and shook back.  _ He’s real. Oh my stars, he’s real.  _ “My name’s Casey. Welcome back, Herobrine.” 

Herobrine grinned, displaying sharp, pointed teeth. 

“Sorry if I seem a little, uh, ditzy,” Casey stammered. Xe was honestly more amazed,  _ excited _ even, rather than scared. “I just, um, there’s a lot to take in here. I’m kind of overwhelmed right now, and I — I’m just gonna preemptively apologize for rambling.”

“Understandable,” he nodded. His default expression seemed to be a lazy smile that was  _ almost _ a smirk but not quite.

“It’s just — oh my stars, you’re-you’re  _ real _ , and you’re  _ here _ , and — and-and  _ I _ did that. Holy shit. Oh stars, I-I think I need to lie down,” xe laughed nervously. “Um, I just — I have so many questions! Er, wait, you probably get a lot of those, sorry — uh —  _ oh my stars, you’re real. _ Sorry, it’s just, when you think ghost stories have just been stories your entire life and now-now they’re real, it’s — it’s a lot! I — moon  _ above, _ this is crazy. Wow. Oh! Right. Um, before anything else happens, I-I’d like to make a deal with you.”

Herobrine cocked an eyebrow. “Go on.”

“I’m sure you hear this a lot, so you’re probably really tired of it, but—” Casey took a deep breath. “I need your help. I’ll repay you however I can, but I’d like to talk it all out first. I want to make a clear, concise deal, one we can both hold each other to.”

He sat down on the grassy ground and motioned for xem to do the same. “Well?”

Xe sat down and took another deep breath. It was always hard to think, let alone  _ talk _ about them.

“There are people in this world who have figured out how to directly manipulate it. Their leader is called the Istrator, and the Istrator’s followers are called the Erators. They can weave the very fabric of the universe as they see fit. And, well, absolute power corrupts absolutely. The Erators separated me from my friends,” xir voice cracked on “friends”. “And they banned me from looking for them. Obviously, I don’t care. I’m going to get them back, no matter what. I’ve looked through book after book, in library after library, and you’re the only thing that can stand up to the Erators power. I need your help getting my friends back.

“Now, frankly, I think you owe me at least a little bit for bringing you back. But I don’t you think you owe me enough to help with such a large task without a little more reimbursement. I’ll do just about anything for your help. That said, I want you to decide on how I can repay you  _ now. _ I’m not going to say  _ ‘I’ll do anything!’ _ and leave it open to interpretation. ”

“Any limits you want to set  _ before  _ I start thinking?” Herobrine asked.

“I won’t significantly harm innocent people. That includes maiming, molesting, killing, etc.” Casey swallowed hard. That still left a lot of possibilities open, possibilities that could harm  _ xem. _

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

“You really are willing to do just about anything,” he said, seeming impressed. “Most people prohibit stuff like sexual favors and the like right out the gate.”

Xe winced. “I mean, obviously, I’d  _ prefer _ if you didn’t choose something like that but . . . I want to be with my friends again in the near future much more than I want to be physically and mentally comfortable in the present. It outweighs everything else.”

His eyes narrowed, sharpening their glow. “Tell you what. After so long in the Place Beyond the Void, my supernatural abilities have been . . . reduced. I can unlock their full potential again, but of course that’s hard to do without them. Sort of like how its hard to find your glasses without glasses.”

Casey nodded.

“It’s not a very long process, but it can be a difficult one. Especially alone. Plus, I won’t be able to resist your Erators without full use of my power. So, how about this: You travel with me and help me get my abilities to a point where I don’t need your help anymore. Then, once we’re there, I help you get your friends back.”

“What exactly does helping you mean in this context?”

“Oh, gathering materials, coming with me to dangerous locations, searching areas — that one always goes faster with more people — that kind of thing.”

“That’s it? Just stuff that directly and immediately helps with the overall task of getting your powers back?”

“Yes.”

“And what powers do you have, exactly? Most of the books had conflicting answers.”

“Right now, I can fly, as you saw, teleport, and dismember people by hand really,  _ really _ fast. With all my abilities back I can create weapons that can do things you wouldn’t even know were possible, poison or cure anyone I want with a snap of my fingers, call down lightning bolts, and some other stuff.”

“Okay, and when we get my friends back, I don’t want any strings attached, okay? I don’t want it to be some  _ ‘you get to be with your friends but your reunion takes place in an Erator prison’ _ kinda situation.”

“Of course. No strings attached.”

“It’s decided then. I’ll help you get your powers back, you’ll help me get my friends back. Deal?” xe reached out for another handshake.

“Deal,” Herobrine replied, and shook.

Casey exhaled slowly and stood up, brushing grass from xir shorts. “So! Hope you’re enjoying being back, even if the first like ten minutes was spent figuring out logistics. Sorry about that. Anyways! I have a shelter not far from here, if you wanna crash there. I don’t know about you, but, uh, it’s been an eventful night for me. I am  _ exhausted. _ ”

He stood up and stretched. “Lead the way.”

Xe pulled a spare torch from xir pocket and set off through the woods. After a moment, xe realized xe didn’t hear another pair of footsteps and turned, curious to why he wasn’t following.

He  _ was _ following. He was just floating a full half-meter off the ground, looking at the forest around them. His eyes illuminated whatever tree he looked at.

Casey turned back around and continued walking. Right. Nothing abnormal about that. This was just an average night. Everything was perfectly ordinary.

“Casey?” Herobrine asked, after a few moments of silence.

“Yes?”

“What do I call you?”

“Pardon?” xe spun to face him.

“Well, you’re clearly a human, even if your signature says that’s debatable. But you don’t really look like a man or a woman . . . in fact, you look more like you’re trying to avoid appearing as either of them.”

Casey smiled at that. “Yeah, that’s pretty spot-on. Trying to avoid the concept of gender as a whole, to be honest.”

“Aren’t we all?” he agreed unexpectedly.

Xe laughed, pleasantly surprised. “To answer your original question, um, xe. Xe/xem.”

He nodded, and xe turned to continue walking. Oddly enough, the interaction left xem smiling. When was the last time someone had  _ asked _ rather than just (incorrectly) assuming?

Before long, the two of them reached the little shelter near Grayfall. After all the huge, mind-blowing things Casey had seen tonight, it seemed extra-drab by comparison.

“It’s not much,” xe said apologetically, opening the door. “I wasn’t expecting visitors until very recently, and of course I didn’t have time to make it any nicer while I was prepping the ritual and everything.”

Herobrine didn’t reply, scanning the interior with narrowed white eyes. Xe shivered.

“Um, anyways, there’s a bedroll for ya,” xe went on, pointing to a bedroll that was in significantly better shape than the one next to it. “I’d love to, uh, get to know you, do some icebreakers or somethin’, but seriously I’m about to pass out. And that wouldn’t make a very good impression.”

“I’ll sleep on the roof,” he said abruptly, grabbing his bedroll and tucking it under one arm.”

Casey blinked. Of course he would.

“Yeah, sure thing, go nuts.”

He closed the door behind him, and xe heard a quiet  _ thump _ from the ceiling overhead.

Xe rubbed xir eyes, wondering if maybe this was all a fever dream. But, oddly enough, xe didn’t  _ want _ it to be. Xe’d been looking for magic, for  _ adventure _ , xir entire life. Now, it looked like xe finally had it.

But xe didn’t have any more time to ponder that, or even process the absurd events of the past few hours. Casey was already asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEAHHHHHHH!!!!! IT'S HERE!! WE MADE IT!! I've been looking forward to writing this chapter for like FOURTEEN THOUSAND WORDS. This was so much fun to do, I ended up writing this whole chapter today, in one big multi-hour session. And I'm super happy with it! It was a blast to write and it's a blast to read!
> 
> EDIT: changed up . . . the whole chapter honestly. the narrative didn't reflect the sense of awe and wonder I wanted both Casey and the readers to have, so now it does
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	9. The First Day

Casey woke up feeling strange. There was no impending deadline immediately shadowing xir thoughts, no sense of panic, no despair that made getting out of bed an arduous struggle. Xe just felt . . . relaxed. Well-rested and at peace. When was the last time xe’d felt _ peaceful? _

_ Don’t I need to prepare for that ritual? . . . No, no, I already did it. Last night. That was pretty wild. _

_ Wait. _

_ Holy shit. Sweet merciful moon above, I did it. I summoned Herobrine. _

_ WAIT. _

_ SHIT. WHAT IF IT WAS A DREAM? _

Casey sat up and glanced around the shelter. There was no one else there. So much for “no sense of panic”. Xe scrambled out of xir bedroll and pulled on xir clothes in a frenzy, then rushed outside. Judging from the ache permeating most of xir body, the events of last night must have really happened. But Herobrine was nowhere to be found.

“Morning, human.”

Xe yelped and whirled around. He was leaning against the front wall of the shelter, next to the door. Xe was absolutely sure he had _ not _ been there just a second earlier.

“Morning,” Casey replied weakly. _ How did he do that? _

In the daylight, xe could actually make out details beyond the black cloak and white eyes. His skin was a cool light brown, while his hair was a much darker brown and looked fluffy. There were subtle circuitry-like patterns, just a shade darker than his skin, under his eyes, on his cheeks, around his neck, and all down his arms. Under the black cloak — which was _ extraordinarily _battered and torn — he wore a ragged, light blue tunic, dark jeans dotted with several large rips, and gray combat boots that came to his knees. Half his left forearm had been entirely wrapped in what appeared to be blue ribbon, and both his ears had a black spike through the lobe.

“I’m making breakfast,” xe said, wondering if it was harder to pierce pointed ears like his than it was to pierce an average human’s ears. “But, uh, I don’t have much food left so it’s gonna be pretty bland.”

“Oh, that won’t be a problem. Any requests?”

“Ummm, some eggs, and butter, maybe? I already have bread, so we could make egg sandwiches. And maybe some fruit, if it’s not too much trouble.”

Herobrine nodded, made a strange slashing motion with one hand, and murmured something in a harsh, jagged language that sounded like sparks and broken glass. Then he turned and went inside, with Casey nervously following him. On the crafting table, he laid out four eggs, two apples, and a stick of butter.

“Whoa,” xe breathed. “Magic food is the same as regular food, right? It’s not just an illusion without any nutritional value?”

“It’s regular food,” he answered, seeming amused.

“I haven’t been able to cook in forever, living off bread and carrots for so long,” xe explained, starting up the furnace. “But I’m pretty sure I remember how to fry an egg.”

He didn’t reply. When xe glanced at him, he was just . . . _ watching _ xem with those uncanny white eyes. Casey turned back to xir cooking, ignoring his scrutiny.

The furnace was hot, and it didn’t take long for the eggs to cook. Xe buttered two slices of bread, slapped two eggs between them, and handed the sandwich to Herobrine before making xir own.

“I’ve never actually had an egg sandwich before,” he observed.

“Really?” xe asked, shocked.

He shrugged. “They just weren’t really a thing back then.”

“Oh, right. If you don’t mind me asking, what was it like back then?”

“Well, the fashion was certainly different,” he said with a laugh, gesturing to himself. “And many things were a lot . . . simpler. This place has grown so much since then. How long has it been, by the way?”

“Hmmm, according to the journals, the parts that talked about your banishment are about sixty-six years old. Assuming the original entries were dated correctly, of course.”

The light of his eyes flared for a split second, forcing Casey to blink dark afterimages from xir vision.

“I figured it had to be somewhere in that range. Everything’s too different for it to be much smaller,” he said calmly.

A few moments of quiet passed between them as Casey finished xir sandwich and began on xir apple. Xe hadn’t realized how much xe’d missed good food. _ I never want to see a carrot again. _

“So,” xe broke the silence. “You didn’t tell me you could make food. Any other powers you have right off the bat that I should know about?”

Herobrine’s eyes narrowed, focusing their glow. “And why should I tell you that?”

“Oh, well, I mean, you don’t have to. I was just curious,” xe stammered.

“As of right now, I can fly, teleport, summon food, and summon most building materials. Oh, and world-sensing, of course. And it won’t take long before redstone things and effect spells return to me.”

“Cool,” Casey said appreciatively. “I read you could summon tridents and blades right to your hands, is that true?”

“Of course. I can’t do it right now, because _ someone _ is keeping swords from me,” he glared at the ground beneath them, “But don’t worry. I could still kill you in about seven seconds, sword or not.”

“Oh. Cool,” xe squeaked. “You know, I was really worried about that for a second, like, man, what if somehow Herobrine _ wasn’t _ capable of killing me on the spot? Stars, that would suck, huh? Glad that’s not a problem!”

_ FUCK. _

_ SHIT. _

_ I SHOULDN’T HAVE SAID THAT. Bad idea, _ ** _bad idea,_ ** _ oh stars why did I say that — damage control, damage control, Casey. Just apologize. QUICKLY. _

But xe didn’t have the chance to, because Herobrine started laughing. Casey stared at him, beginning to smile despite xemself.

“Oh, you’re going to be interesting,” he grinned.

Xe found xemself grinning back. “Thank you?”

Then his expression sobered. “Now, let’s talk planning.”

“Right. What do we do first?”

“Certain areas and certain . . . _ situations _will restore my abilities, and they don’t need to be in any order. I say we just travel to the closest restoration-area, and from there to the next-closest, so on and so forth.”

“Situations?” xe echoed.

“Supernatural powers have a way of returning in a life-threatening scenario. I’d like to restore as many abilities that _ don’t _ require me being near death first.”

“Fair. And that sounds good to me. What’s closest to our current location?”

Herobrine closed his eyes and cocked his head as if listening to something. “Well, if we’re _ here _, then the closest place would be . . . a human settlement several kilometers East of . . . oooo, big library! Fun traps, too.”

“The library below us? Do you know it?”

“World-sensing, human. I can feel everything around us.”

Casey’s jaw dropped. “That’s so cool! Everything? Does it ever get overwhelming?”

“Well, only everything within a certain radius,” he admitted. “And no, not really.”

“Are there any caves below us? Any mineshafts?”

“Eh, one or two. Not the most cave-ful place I’ve ever been in. But that’s enough questions. We have a settlement to get to.”

Xe frowned, but shoved xir worries aside. “Right.”

By the time Casey was done packing, xir inventory pack was almost bursting at the seams.

In all honesty, xe was dreading the journey ahead. Xe was just . . . _ really _ tired of walking. And xe wanted to avoid human settlements, not walk straight into them.

“You don’t happen to know any faster, or easier, modes of transportation, do you?” xe asked hopefully.

“I _ know _ plenty. But right now? I can’t use any. You’re gonna have to walk.”

“At least I won’t be walking alone,” xe sighed. “It’s a lot easier with someone to talk to.”

Herobrine frowned, eye-glow flickering erratically for a moment. “Well, you won’t be _ traveling _ alone, but technically you will be _ walking _ alone.”

Casey looked over at him just in time to see him lift a full meter off the ground. Lucky bastard. What xe would give to be able to fly . . . Xe shook xemself. It was time to move.

“Lead the way,” xe gestured.

He floated forward, oriented horizontally and belly-down, one arm hanging down to brush the grass. Xe pretended that was a perfectly normal way to move.

And the two of them journeyed East. 

After a sizeable period of silence between them, Casey spoke up.

“Hey Herobrine?”

“Mm?”

“Do you mind if I ask you a few questions? We’re . . . very different, and I’m curious.”

“Go nuts.”

“Why do your eyes look like that?”

“There’s a lot of energy coursing through my body at all times. It manifests visually as white, glowing eyes. The eyes are one of the few things I can’t change about my appearance.”

“Bitchin’,” xe whispered appreciatively. “What else can’t you change?”

“The circuitry patterns on my skin, for pretty much the same reason.”

Xe digested that for a few minutes before piping up again. “What do caves feel like?”

“Twisty.”

“You said you can feel everything. Can you tell what kind of biome you’re in by world-sensing alone? And also can you feel where certain ores are in the earth?”

“Yes, and yes. Each biome feels different, and I know most of them by heart by now. Well, I did. Might be different now. And right now, there’s a lot of iron and gold below us, and redstone to your far left.”

Casey stared at the ground below xem, amazed. “That’s so cool! Oh man, that’d be so helpful when looking for diamonds.”

“It is,” he agreed.

“Oh! Last night you said something about ‘my signature’. What does that mean?”

“Every living thing has a unique signature. Some species have signatures that are all very similar to each other, and some have a wide variety, with each one distinct from the others. Humans in particular have very different signatures from each other.”

“Whoooa. So if I was in a crowd of like, a hundred people, you’d be able to pick me out because you know my signature?”

“Yes.”

“That’s _ amazing! _ What do they look like?”

He hesitated. “They don’t really . . . look. You don’t read signatures with your eyes, you read them with . . . a sort of sixth sense, one that doesn’t come naturally to humans.”

“Well then, what do they _ feel _ like?”

“I mean, they all feel different. All human signatures share a few specific elements exclusive to their species, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. I can’t really explain it to someone who can’t feel it.”

“Ah, that makes sense,” Casey sighed. “Okay, last question for now. Who were you talking about when you said someone was keeping you from swords?”

“The universe itself.”

“Oh, of course. As you do,” xe said without thinking, earning another laugh from Herobrine.

Curiosity momentarily exhausted, xe went quiet. The two of them traveled in silence for a few hours, both lost in their own thoughts. Casey found it comforting to be traveling alongside someone after so long, even if that someone was an unpredictable and unsettling creature of great magical power. And it didn’t hurt that they were traversing such a pleasant region. The forest was simple and beautiful, and there was a distinct tranquility in walking under the sun-dappled shade of the trees. 

Just past midday, Herobrine stopped without warning and flipped over in midair to face Casey. “Don’t humans need like three meals a day?”

“Ehhh, something like that,” xe mumbled. Xe hadn’t had three full meals a day since xe’d started looking for xir friends. Xe’d skip breakfast, have a light snack for lunch, and eat a meager supper before bed.

“Then let’s stop here for an hour or two. We can continue on after lunch,” he decided.

Casey sighed and pulled out xir crafting table. Xe’d much rather continue walking, to get the trip over as soon as possible. But xe _ was _ hungry, and the idea of food and rest _ did _ seem enjoyable.

“Could you summon up some kind of meat that cooks well over a fire? I can whip up a campfire real quick,” xe suggested.

“Sounds good,” he nodded.

Xe pulled the grass from a small area and quickly built a small fire, setting up xir simple spit over it before it got too hot. Then, xe speared several chunks of raw beef on a skewer and set it over the fire.

It didn’t take long for the meat to cook, and then the two of them feasted. 

Casey set aside xir plate with a satisfied groan. “That was the best meal I think I’ve ever had. I’m never eating bread and carrots again.”

“Food has definitely improved in the last sixty-six years,” Herobrine agreed.

The two of them chatted for a bit, spirits raised by the good food. Casey was pleasantly surprised to find Herobrine quite fun to talk to, which completely contradicted most of the books xe’d read about him. It gave xem hope. The endless walking would be _ much _ more tolerable with an engaging conversational companion.

But despite this cheering thought, xe found xemself anxious to forge on. Xe didn’t want to make the trip take any longer than it had to.

About an hour after they’d started walking again, Herobrine was the one to break the silence.

“The library underneath that village behind us. You explored it, right, human?”

“Yeah. It’s where I found out about you, actually. You have a _ lot _ of books written about you, by the way.”

“The burden of being the best,” he deadpanned, words heavy with sarcasm.

Casey laughed. “Why do you ask?”

“Were there any books explaining how I was banished?”

“A few. There are some diaries written by the people who actually did it. It was pulled off by the most elite team of an organization called The Swords of Justice, and—”

“Were there any names?” he interrupted. 

Casey hesitated, suddenly uneasy. “Like, names of people? Not really. They just referred to each other by rank or nickname, probably for security reasons.”

“That’s a shame.” There was a lilt in his voice, an almost-musical twist to his words, that hadn’t been there before.

“Why do you ask?” xe asked, nervous. Something about his tone seemed distinctly threatening.

“Oh, just curious.” And it was back to normal.

Casey managed to stay quiet for almost a full minute.

“Okay, we’re both thinking it, I’m just gonna say it, it’s revenge, right? It’s revenge?” xe blurted.

Herobrine paused and turned to face xem. His sharp teeth were displayed in a smile, but there was no mirth in it.

“They kept me from all this,” he gestured to the lively forest around them, “for over half a century. Don’t you think I’ve _ earned _ a little revenge?”

The twist in his words was back and his voice was deceptively calm. His eyes seemed _ bigger _ somehow, and the world darker by comparison.

“Oh yeah, definitely. I just don’t think its feasible. I don’t think you deserved to be locked out of the universe for that long, yeah, but like, what can ya do? Most of the people banishing you were in their late twenties or so. If any of them are still alive, they’ll be about ninety years old. Not really a point in punishing someone who’s already lived a whole life, y’know?” xe explained, amazed that xir voice had stayed steady.

He stared at them, eyes wide. Whatever had been so hypnotizing about them just a few seconds earlier was completely absent.

“And-and I guess you could do the whole ‘punish the whole bloodline’ thing, but I mean, it’s really not fair to enact some vengeance on their kids who had nothing to do with it. I’ve always thought it was kind of bullshit when villains in stories did that. Like, c’mon, now you’re just hurting civilians.” Oh stars, now xe was rambling. “Fuck, wait, I wasn’t trying to compare you to a villain. Except, I guess — no, wait — shit, I just confused myself. I’m — y’know what? I’m gonna stop talking now.”

Casey stared at the green-carpeted ground below xem, cheeks burning. _ This is fine, this is fine, everything’s fine, think about grass, THINK ABOUT GRASS— _

Herobrine snorted, then snickered, then laughed for real. Xe looked up, taken aback. This was the second time today xir impulsive words had made him laugh.

“Wh-what’s so funny?” xe asked, a little nervous.

“The absurdity of it all, Casey!” he wheezed. “Listen, listen, do you know how many humans have told me something like that before you?”

“None that lived?” xe guessed, and sent him into hysterics again.

“Oh stars, you’re good,” he said, in that tone of voice one uses when they’re trying not to start laughing. “But no. It’s zero! You’re the first!”

“Oh. Is that . . . good?” xe tried uncertainly.

He bit his lip, clearly trying not to crack up again. “It’s . . . surprising.”

“Surprising that I said it, or surprising that no one’s said it before?”

“Yes.”

Casey smiled at that, and then a silence fell over them for several minutes. But xir curiosity was insatiable, and Herobrine had only left xem more questions.

“Herobrine? Did you know a lot of other humans?”

“Too many. Most of them sucked.”

“Ugh, I feel that. Most of the humans I’ve met suck.”

“Then I think we can safely say most humans suck.”

Xe laughed at that. “I mean, you’re not wrong!”

The two of them fell into a companionable silence, and this one lasted a few hours. The sun sank lower and lower into the sky behind them, until their shadows were impossibly long and the world looked like it’d been cast in gold. Eventually, the sun dipped beneath the trees, the shadows softened, and the sky darkened to a velvety cobalt.

Casey stopped when it got dark enough that xe could see the light from Herobrine’s eyes illuminating the path before them. Xe didn’t want to face any night monsters tonight.

“It’s getting late. We should set up camp for the night,” xe announced. It was getting cold, too.

“What?” he whirled to face xem, brow furrowed. “Oh, right! Eight hours of sleep. My bad.”

“You— wh— how many do _ you _ need?” xe asked, incredulous.

He smirked, a full-on, infuriating, _ painfully _ smug smirk. “Four to six.”

“Four to— _ stars, _ you lucky bastard,” Casey shook xir head. “I can _ function _ on four to six, but it’s . . . inefficient, and _ un-fun. _”

He watched as xe quickly assembled a little shelter. It was a simple, effective little building, with cobblestone walls, a wooden roof, and a wooden floor. There was just enough space for a crafting table, a furnace, and two people to sleep, if they squeezed. It was cramped, yes, but cozy too.

Next, xe tossed the remains of xir assorted vegetables into a pot with a bit of water, to make a dish xe proudly called “Slapdash Stew”. Despite the, well, slapdash components, it was delicious. The two of them devoured it like there was no tomorrow.

“I have a deck of cards and a checkers board with all the pieces,” xe said hopefully, after supper was cleaned up. “Do you wanna play something before bed?”

Herobrine gave xem an odd look, squinty and sort of accusing and intrigued at the same time.

“No thanks,” he replied carefully.

“You sure?” xe asked.

“I’m sure.”

Casey faltered a bit — _ Am I being too forward? What was that look for? It’s _ ** _Herobrine_ ** _ , dumbass, he has better things to do than play checkers with you — _ but forged on nonetheless. “Are you sleeping on the roof again tonight?”

“Probably. Might spend it down in a cave.”

“Ah, okay. Um, hey, before I go to bed . . .” xe took a deep breath, suddenly nervous. “I-I guess I’ve only known you for a day, so you could still turn out to be a huge asshole— but, right now you’re not. And, I’m — right now, I’m . . . I’m really glad you’re here. Thanks for answering all my weird questions.”

He stared at xem for a long moment, long enough to make xem nervous. The odd expression was back and the glow of his eyes was flickering.

“Of course. You’re welcome,” he responded smoothly. Then he took a step back and leapt into the sky without a look back.

Casey watched him soar high above the trees and abruptly disappear. _ So he really _ ** _can _ ** _ teleport. _

Xe sighed and went inside, closing the door softly. Xe hadn’t been expecting him to just . . . _ leave _ like that. Maybe xe’d been too forward and made him uncomfortable? Or perhaps xe was supposed to thank him more? He hadn’t really done anything yet other than be a comforting presence, and right now anyone would be. It would have just felt fake.

Xe’d just been so . . . _ excited, _ to have someone to talk to again. Someone who thought xe was _ funny. _ Someone who not only let xem ask plenty of questions, but _ answered _ them. Someone who respected xir pronouns!

Casey rubbed at xir own face with a groan. Xe was just a lonely, overexcited human, one who was _ clearly _desperate for positive interaction. Of course xir enthusiasm would make him uncomfortable.

But, he was also xir only chance. Xe couldn’t afford slip-ups. Xe’d apologize tomorrow.

Xe yawned and slipped into xir bedroll. That was for tomorrow-Casey to deal with. Right now, xe was both physically and emotionally exhausted.

At least sleep claimed xem quickly that night.

When Casey woke the next morning, Herobrine was gone.

_ Gone _ gone. Not “appearing mysteriously behind xem” gone, but actually absent. Xe re-entered the shelter, somehow feeling both numb and queasy, simultaneously. Had xe really fucked up that bad? On the _ first day? _

A chip of light on the crafting table caught xir eye. Xe peered closer and realized it was a note, glowing in the torchlight. For an embarrassingly long moment, xe debated reading it or not, nervous.

Finally, xe mustered up the courage and unfolded it.

_ Keep heading East. _ _   
_ _ Make camp when the sun sets. _ _   
_ _ DO _ ** _NOT_ ** KEEP TRAVELING ONCE NIGHT FALLS.

_ There’s food in the chest outside. I can’t remember whether humans can eat rotten flesh or not so I summoned some just to be safe. _

** _\- H_ **

Casey sighed, heart sinking. Nothing about when he’d come back — if he did at all. And now xe had another full day of walking without a conversational companion to look forward to. Yay.

Xir first response was annoyance at him signing the note with the first letter of his name. _ Melodramatic prick. _

But the second was an unpleasant mix of hurt and hopelessness and fear. _ How did I drive him away already? I couldn’t make it through ONE day? Really? I was just so excited to have someone to talk to . . . _

Xe bared xir teeth and growled, driving the self-pitying thoughts away. Xe hadn’t gotten this far by wallowing in despair and self-loathing (though to be fair, a large amount of that _ did _ happen), and xe wasn’t about to give up now. Xe would carry on out of spite, if nothing else.

Casey poked xir head outside and spotted the chest his note had mentioned. Sure enough, it was full of food, and some . . . not-food. In addition to the inedible rotten flesh, there was also a pouch of glowstone dust, several kinds of dye, and a few prismarine shards.

Xe downed a quick, meager breakfast, packed up in record time, and aimed a glare at the rising sun.

Then, xe began walking East.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OHHH FINALLY! I CAN START WRITING THEIR DYNAMIC! FREE AT LAST!
> 
> EDIT: fixed one sentence that didn't match up with an edit I made to the previous chapter
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	10. Visiting Some Old Friends

Herobrine pondered Casey’s words for the rest of the night.

_ I’m really glad you’re here. _

His first thought was that xe was lying. No human would ever be _ glad _ for his presence. Xe was just trying to make him _ think _ xe was, so he’d feel obligated to help xem without pay. He’d seen it all before. Cultists and ambitious businessmen alike had told him similar things.

But, xir tone completely contradicted that theory. Everyone else had said it in that weird, revering voice they used on him. Xe didn’t sound like that at all. The only time he’d heard that tone of voice was when humans were talking to _ each other. _

_ I’m really glad you’re here. _

Plus, it was so _ simple. _ Herobrine had heard dozens of variations on “Your presence greatly honors me, O’ Shining Eyes,” but never something so simple and effective. There was no mention of noble titles, or honor.

He’d been so thrown he didn’t know how to really respond. He still didn’t. Though, perhaps he should have expected it from Casey. Xe was a very odd human.

He wished he could visit Jean, but he had the coords of the gateway to her dimension memorized and he knew he couldn’t teleport that far. His powers were far too limited at the moment. But he could visit **them** at any time. In fact, he needed **them** to catch him up on everything he’d missed anyway.

First, he needed to leave some instructions for Casey. Humans always managed to fuck up even the simplest tasks if left to their own devices. And they needed to eat all the time too. He summoned some food, deposited it in a chest just outside the door of the shelter, and scribbled a note that he set on the crafting table. It was almost dawn, so xe’d be awake soon.

Then, he teleported to the nearest deep cavern and curled up next to a lava pool. Despite his impatience, he would need to be well-rested before visiting **them**. Luckily, he’d always been able to fall asleep quickly.

Several hours later, Herobrine woke up and stretched with a yawn. It was tempting to go for a morning swim in the lava, but he had places to be.

He sat cross-legged and closed his eyes, breathing in and out evenly. It only took a few minutes of meditation for him to deconstruct his physical form and sink into the universe to a higher degree than usual.

_ I’m coming to visit. Manifest yourselves, _ he called, and winced as he felt it immediately drain his power. The Place Beyond the Void had taken a serious toll on his abilities.

As always, **they** were slow to answer. He observed the world around him out of boredom, fascinated. There were a _ lot _ more humans than there’d been when he left.

** _We’re ready._ **

But when **they ** did respond, it was impossible to miss. **Their** words felt like they filled his entire body.

He reached for **their** signatures. **They** felt like no one else, brighter and with more clearly defined color than anything else in this world. He sensed the familiar blue and green immediately, and pulled himself toward **them** with a simple spell.

Contrary to popular belief, there were _ not _ three dimensions in the universe. There were _ four. _

Beyond the Overworld, Nether, and End, and encompassing them all, there was a cozy dark pocket that always smelled like fresh-tilled soil. It was here that **they** told the Poem to the few successful dragonslayers, and it was here that **they** met with Herobrine.

**They** perked up as he appeared, elated grins spreading across **their** faces.

“Herobrine! You’re back!” **Steve** cried, pulling him into a tight hug. “We missed you so much!”

“About time,” muttered **Alex** , but **they **were smiling too. “It got so boring without someone finding loopholes in cosmic laws and causing trouble.”

He shot **them** a cheeky grin and carefully extricated himself from **Steve** ’s grasp — only for **Alex** to hug him instead. **They** must have really missed him. Finally, he managed to step back and actually look at **them** both.

**Steve** had traded his plain shirt and pants for something more stylish. **He** wore a crisp turquoise button-up with a simple print of pickaxes and swords all over it, and violet skinny jeans that complimented **his** eyes. Those hadn’t changed. They were still the striking indigo they’d been sixty-six years ago.

**Alex** , on the other hand, hadn’t changed a bit. **They** wore the same light green tunic, brown leggings, tall gray boots, and dark green sash around the waist that **they** ’d always worn. The only difference he could see was that **they** ’d grown **their** orange hair out into a braid over one shoulder. Before, it’d been in a pixie cut.

“New look,” Herobrine said appreciatively. **Steve ** beamed cheerfully. “And of course _ you’re _ the same as ever.”

“If your physical form’s _ not _ optimized for running through the woods on a moonless night, what’s the point?” **Alex **replied coolly, a point he conceded with a nod.

“Remind me to change mine before I manifest outside,” he added. “I’m feeling somethin’ a little subtler than boots. Hi-tops, maybe.”

“I will,” **Steve** promised.

“Now,” began Herobrine, sitting down on thin air. “What have I missed?”

Over the next few hours, he learned just about every single thing **they**’d changed or added to the very universe. The world was a much fuller place than it was when he’d left.

There were bees now, and phantoms, and birds. The forests were thick with undergrowth and mos. There were dozens upon dozens of new kinds of food, and more colors of dye. The Nether was vast and complex and beautiful. To reduce human-on-human deaths, **they**’d added rope and potions that made one sleep (as well as potions that woke one up), in the hopes that they’d choose to subdue rather than kill. Caves were more than just underground tunnels now, they had stalagmites and stalactites, underground rivers and pools, glowing fungus and protruding crystals. There was even an extremely dangerous creature called a stala-snake, a huge serpent-like beast that could disguise itself as a stalagmite or stalactite.

“We need to change that one, actually,” **Steve **amended apologetically.

“It’s way too aggressive at the moment,” **Alex** agreed. “It just doesn’t stop trying to attack a target, no matter what.”

“Sounds like my kind of creature,” Herobrine smirked. “What about it needs changing?”

That earned him exactly the reactions he’d been hoping for, a stricken expression from **Steve** and a disparaging glare from **Alex**.

Finally, after multiple hours, **they** ’d covered just about everything, and even some future plans. **They**’d given him quite a few new ideas for potential ways to mess with humans, but of course he didn’t say that.

“Now, enough about us,” **Alex** grinned, eyes twinkling. “What have you been up to?”

“Well, I’ve only been back a day,” he replied thoughtfully. “But the human that summoned me is quite entertaining. Xir name is Casey, and xe’s _ so curious. _ Xe asked me a ton of questions, and like, _ real _ questions. Not small-talk stuff, but questions about why my eyes glow and what caves feel like.”

**Steve** and **Alex** exchanged a knowing glance that Herobrine completely missed.

“That reminds me, I meant to ask you two about xem,” he went on. “Last night, after supper, xe asked if I wanted to play cards or something before bed. Then, xe said something about . . . being _ glad _ that I was there. But, not the way people who want me to like them say it. I can’t describe it. It was really weird.”

This time, he caught the knowing look between **them** . He squinted at the two of **them**, clearly suspicious.

“The tone xe used? Herobrine, that was _ sincerity _ ,” **Alex** explained patiently.

“Xe was giving you a genuine compliment,” added **Steve**.

“What? No, xe — you _ believe _ xem?” he asked incredulously.

“As the universe, we’ve known Casey for years,” **Steve** reasoned. “Xe meant it. Xe really is glad you’re there.”

“If you won’t trust xem, at least trust us,” **Alex** said firmly. “You know _ we _ wouldn’t lie to you about this. And we say xe meant it.”

Herobrine sighed. “I believe you. It just doesn’t make sense. Why would xe be _ glad? _”

“Because—” **Steve** began.

“Because xe’s lonely and wants someone to talk to, and you’re really fun to talk to,” interrupted **Alex** . **Steve** glared at **them **but didn’t say anything.

“Perhaps,” Herobrine frowned, not entirely convinced.

“Speaking of xem,” **Steve** piped up, a faraway look in **his** eyes. **He** was examining something in the Overworld. “It’s almost nightfall and xe’s getting pretty concerned.”

“I should head back,” he agreed. Normally, he dreaded returning from **their **little peaceful dimension, but this time he didn’t mind. He was looking forward to seeing how Casey would surprise him next.

The three stood up, making a loose circle, and each put their right arm in the middle. By turning their hands at a weird angle so one’s fingertips brushed the next person’s wrist, they made a little triangle with their hands.

“Trio?” **Alex** asked.

“Trio,” the other two chorused.

“I’ll visit again soon,” Herobrine said. “Tell Jean I said hi!”

“We will!” waved **Alex**.

“Don’t forget to change your form!” **Steve** called.

He nodded, and then he was gone.

Casey watched the dancing flames of the campfire, brooding. Well, xe liked to call it brooding. Really, xe was just sulking.

It’d been a long, boring, terrible day. The hurt and fear and awful, awful sinking feeling of the morning had never really gone away. In fact, as sunset grew nearer and nearer, xir anxiety only increased. Xe had no one to talk to _ all day _, and no one to remind xem to eat. By suppertime, xe was hungry, exhausted, and just sort of perpetually near tears. Xe set up camp quickly and made a small fire, but hadn’t yet cooked anything over it. Xe just couldn’t bring xemself to.

Something flickered in the corner of xir eye, drawing xir attention.

A ball of crackling light was coalescing at the edge of xir camp. It hummed with energy and occasionally small forks of lightning wreathed it for a split second. Suddenly, it expanded rapidly, and vanished with a _ whoosh _.

In its place stood Herobrine. 

Casey scrambled to xir feet, relief and anger crashing into xem like a tsunami. “You’re back!”

“Of course,” he said smoothly. “Did you think I was leaving forever? We have a deal, and I intend to keep it, human.”

“I just — you left so suddenly, and your note didn’t say anything about when you’d be back, and after last night, I-I thought I must have made you uncomfortable,” xe explained in a rush. “Which, um, by the way. I wanted to apologize for that. I—”

“Apologize for what?”

“For-for saying I was really glad you were here? See, I’m—”

“Oh, that? No, you’re fine.”

“What?” xe asked, thrown. “But, why did you leave then?”

“I was just visiting some old friends.”

“O-oh . . .” xe trailed off, feeling rather ridiculous for worrying all day for no reason. “Then, um, can I bring up two kinda-serious things?”

His eyes narrowed a hair. “Sure.”

“First of all, I just kinda wanted to, um, warn you, I guess, that . . . you’re sort of the only person I can talk to right now? And I’m used to having all my friends around me, so I might try to put the . . . pressure, I guess, of eight people on _ you. _ But you’re just one person, and that’s really not fair to you, so call me out if I’m doing that, okay? I don’t want to make you uncomfy or anything.”

“Understood. Go on.”

“Could you warn me before leaving for a day, please? Again, you’re the only person I have to talk to right now, and it was . . . _ really _ quiet without you. I just wanna have the chance to brace myself next time, if that makes sense.”

Herobrine stared at xem for a moment, eyeglow fluctuating ever so slightly. 

“I think they were right about you,” he said incredulously. “Yeah, I’ll warn you next time.”

Casey visibly relaxed. “Thank you. Now, I don’t know about you, but it’s suppertime and I’m _ ravenous. _”

Xe baked the two of them potatoes in the embers of the fire. Once they were cooked, xe split them down the middle and packed them full of butter before handing one to Herobrine and keeping one for xemself.

“Y’know,” xe said suddenly. “Humans cannot, in fact, eat rotten flesh.”

He snapped his fingers. “You’re right. I was thinking of dogs.”

“Or glowstone dust. Or dye. Or prismarine shards.”

“You can’t eat prismarine shards?” he frowned.

“No?” xe replied, amazed xe had to clarify.

Herobrine produced one in his hand with a quick spell hissed under his breath and looked Casey dead in the eyes. Xe shivered under the weight of his gaze.

And then he bit one corner off and chewed it like it was a chip. Slowly, deliberately, and making eye contact the entire time.

“Is _ that _why you’re known as an all-powerful monster?” xe whispered.

He laughed, a real laugh, not just the shocked laughter xe’d been getting until then. Casey realized xe liked making him laugh.

“Here, try some,” he offered.

“I — I already tried this morning,” xe admitted. “I just had to know. Nearly broke a tooth.”

He laughed again. “Of course you did.”

“What does it taste like?”

“Pretty much how you’d expect ocean rock to taste. It’s not very good, to be honest.”

“At least I’m not missing out on anything, I suppose.”

They fell quiet for a moment, and Casey finished xir meal. With a full belly and worries assuaged, xe felt exhaustion settle over xem.

“I’m heading in for the night,” xe yawned. “Good night, Herobrine.”

“Good night, human.”

In the shelter, xe slipped into xir bedroll, already starting to drift off. Xe heard a distinct thump overhead, the sound of a certain white-eyed someone landing on xir roof. Xe smiled, and then xe was asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter numbers in the double digits already! this one was fun to write! I love the Trio and their interactions so much aaaaaaa
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	11. Something Different, Something Dangerous

The first thing Casey noticed that morning was that Herobrine looked different. His cloak and the blue ribbon wrapped around his wrist were both absent. He’d traded in his torn tunic for an equally torn t-shirt, and his boots for dark gray hi-tops. It looked like he’d even added more piercings to his ears. But it wasn’t just his outfit that had changed. There was something different about his demeanor too. He seemed . . . more at ease somehow, more on top of things. Xe wondered if he’d already settled into a world so different from when he’d left.

“I like the new outfit,” xe offered, soon after they began traveling that morning. “When did you change it?”

“When I got back last night. You just didn’t notice it then.”

“ _ You _ seem different as well. Sort of . . . more confident, I guess. Did your friends help you settle in?”

“You could say that,” he replied with a lazy smirk that made xem distinctly nervous. Xe had the feeling Herobrine would be significantly more dangerous now that he appeared more sure of himself.

_ Dangerous. I wanted to ask him about something dangerous . . . what was it? _

“Oh! I meant to ask you this, but I kept forgetting. I heard — well, read — that you had claws, but they look like normal fingernails to me. Are they a power you have to restore, or . . .”

He smiled and turned to face Casey head-on, holding his hands out palm-down. “Watch.”

Before xir very eyes, the nails narrowed a bit and lengthened a  _ lot _ , growing slightly curved and ending in sharp, deadly points.

“They’re  _ retractable? _ ” xe cried. “That’s so cool!”

“Technically, they’re not exactly ‘retractable’. Either the claws exist on my fingers or they don’t exist at all. It’s actually more of a spell, but one that’s just part of me.”

“That’s even cooler! You have magic claws!”

The two of them fell quiet for several minutes. Casey tried to enjoy the peace and the beautiful forest around them, but it was difficult. Something was biting at xem, had  _ been _ biting at xem. Xe had to say something.

“Hey, um, Herobrine?” xe asked.

“Hm?”

“How far away is this settlement?”

“At our current speed, we should get there tomorrow evening. Though, it might have expanded since I left, so we might hit the outskirts sooner.”

“Okay. And what exactly are we  _ doing _ there?”

“There’s a vast network of catacombs under the whole settlement. I visited it a lot to scare humans and make deals with criminals or cult leaders. Seeing it again should restore some of my power.”

“Ah, okay.”

“While we’re on the topic, does self-defense break contract? Do you count that as harming innocent people?”

“No. I’m willing to defend us both, but I don’t want to hurt anyone any more than I have to.”

“Mm.”

Then they fell silent once again. It took Casey a long time to build up the courage necessary to voice the thought that clawed at xem. Several times, xe opened xir mouth, lost xir nerve, and closed it again.

“Um, one more thing,” xe began hesitantly.

“What?”

“I, uh, do  _ I _ have to go into this settlement?”

“Yes. I can teleport us in, but once we’re there, it’ll be easiest to get around if we fit in. It’s pretty hard to fit in with these,” he gestured to his eyes, “but it’ll be almost as suspicious if I walk around alone with a blindfold. You need to pretend to be leading your blind buddy, or something similar.”

“Oh. Okay. That makes sense.”

“Why do you ask?”

“We-ell,” xe said, drawing the word “well” out so it was two syllables long. “I’m just, kinda trying to  _ avoid _ human settlements? I  _ really _ don’t want anyone to recognize me.”

“Have you been here before?”

“Not that I know of—”

“Then how will anyone recognize you?”

“Uhhh . . . see, okay, this is embarrassing. I’m sort of a, um, a widely-known international criminal? The Erators promised to remove the bounties and take down the wanted posters if I promised not to look for my friends, but uh, here we are! They don’t know that that’s what I’m doing, of course, but people might still recognize my face and report me anyways and that’ll be . . . bad.”

“International criminal, huh?” he grinned at xem, baring those sharp teeth. “That makes two of us.”

“That  _ really  _ doesn’t make me any less nervous,” Casey said weakly.

“What did  _ you _ do? I think I attained international status somewhere between the trapped cave system that kept foiling this rich dude’s plans, and that time I leveled some king’s second palace.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” xe replied harshly. It came out a lot meaner than xe’d really meant it to. Uncomfortable, xe quickly changed the subject. “You leveled a king’s palace?”

“Oh yeah. He was a  _ huge _ asshole. This whole group of towns was being  _ decimated  _ by wolves, and he decided the best use of his power was to build a second palace for himself. The day it was completed, he held this big parade to celebrate it. I hid so much TNT in the walls, the whole place was more gunpowder than building. Then, once everyone in the parade could clearly see the palace, I lit the fuse.” Herobrine grinned, clearly fond of the memory. “The explosion was so big, people classified it as the world’s largest molasses machine. No one in the area could move for like a few  _ hours _ , it was so bad. The news had a field day.”

“As you do,” xe mumbled, caught between being amazed, impressed, and horrified.

“You should have seen the headlines. ‘WHITE-EYED DEMON STRIKES AGAIN’, ‘PALACE DESTROYED IN HEROBRINE’S GREATEST ATTACK YET’, so on and so forth. It was great,” his expression suddenly became thoughtful. “I think I still have a few clippings lying around.”

_ He likes the attention, _ Casey suddenly realized.  _ That explains a lot. Is he consciously aware of it? Oof, now there’s something I can’t ask him. Nobody likes an unwanted psycho-analysis. _

“Back to the present for a sec,” xe reminded him. “What do we do if someone recognizes me?”

“Say you’re looking for work. You’ve turned over a new leaf and want to start a new life,” he answered easily.

“And if they report me?”

He shrugged. “We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it.”

Casey sighed, still uneasy.

The rest of the day passed without incident. They stopped at midday to eat lunch, and again just before sundown for supper. Just after lunch, they left the forest and continued through a vast desert. The environment made Casey very nervous. It was far too open and exposed for xir liking, and the sun was unbearable without the shade of the trees, and it was hard to walk in the sand. Xe wasn’t sure if the wood in xir pack was enough to last until they reached the settlement.

Xe made camp feeling very naked without trees around. To conserve wood, they ate a cold dinner of fruit rather than making something over a fire.

Once again, Casey asked Herobrine if he wanted to play a game before bed, and once again he declined.

“There’s a cave below us I’d like to check out,” he explained, and promptly vanished.

“ _ I’d _ like to check it out too,” xe mumbled to no one in particular. Xe turned and looked at the tiny, lonely little shelter. Xe wasn’t even tired.

And xe came to a decision.

_ I’ll just go and find Herobrine in the caves. _

_ He’ll think you’re a stalker. This is a bad idea. _

_ But if I don’t do something — anything — soon, I will DIE OF BOREDOM. _

Casey had wanted to go on some magical adventure for xir entire life. On that surreal night when xe’d summoned Herobrine, xe thought maybe it was finally happening. Yet it’d been a few days now, and nothing interesting had happened. Sure, Herobrine himself was plenty fascinating, and xe did genuinely enjoy talking to him. But xe wanted  _ adventure, _ not just engaging conversation.

Besides, xe missed exploring caves. Xe really, really missed it. Xe missed the creepy darkness before a torch was placed, the sound of running water or bubbling lava slowly getting louder as one advanced down a tunnel, the sense of scale and awe when a cave suddenly led to an immense ravine, the thrill like no other of seeing a rare ore glittering in the stone wall. Xe missed it all.

Casey donned xir armor, snatched xir tools and weapons, and grabbed a few bundles of torches. There was a cave entrance right next to the shelter, and xe started down it without a second thought.

At first, the winding tunnel was made up entirely of sandstone, but as xe descended deeper and deeper, regular gray stone took over. Before long, xe started seeing a few clusters of coal ore, but xe ignored them for now. Instead, xe ventured further, observing every detail of the cave around xem.

Areas with high mica content streaked the walls, making random stripes of rock sparkle in the light of xir torch. In some wider sections, fat stalagmites studded the floor. In one large, round cavern, a line of glowing crystals hung down from the ceiling. Xe stayed in that part for a while, staring open-mouthed at the beautiful crystals.

Casey had just passed some weird purplish mushrooms growing in a patch of gravel, when xe heard something. Something other than xir own breathing and footsteps.

Xe froze, head cocked, listening. One hand went to xir sword. 

It was a faint, sort of ghostly sound. It sounded almost like a breath of wind, but xe was  _ certain _ xe could hear words in it.

Eerie though it was, it definitely wasn’t the sound of a zombie groaning or a skeleton clattering. In fact, it piqued xir curiosity. Xe crept forward quietly, listening carefully.

The further down the tunnel xe advanced, the clearer it became. Before long, xe recognized it as someone singing _ . _ And soon xe could make out the words in it. 

_ “Life itself suspended by a thread . . . Oh, why is it that I wasn’t dead . . .” _

To xir surprise, xe recognized the lyrics. Xe  _ knew _ this song. It was an old classic, a ballad sung by professional choirs all over the world (and in turn, butchered by middle school ones). Were there other humans down here? Why hadn’t Herobrine said anything?

Xe got closer and closer, until it sounded like xe was right next to whoever was singing. The tunnel xe was creeping through led to a wider, room-like cavern, and xe stayed close to the wall to avoid being seen. 

But it didn’t seem to matter, because halfway through a verse, the mystery singer broke off with a ferocious snarl. Casey froze, heart thudding against xir ribs.

“I know you’re there. Come out, human.”

Xe jumped, shocked. Sheepishly, xe gave up stealth and stepped out into the open.

The first thing xe noticed was a large, complicated redstone contraption. The second was a familiar figure atop it, who was glaring at xem with arms folded.

“What are you doing here?” Herobrine asked, tone sharp and hostile. Xe winced.

“I wasn’t tired, and I haven’t explored a cave in a while and I missed it, and I knew I might find you, so it was like a win-win, y’know? So I just, um, went for it,” xe explained, feeling very small.

“I’m pretty sure humans need to sleep,” he pointed out.

“I’m not tired,” xe shrugged. “And besides, I want to explore more than I want to sleep. What’s that machine do?”

He glanced at the contraption, then back to Casey. “It’s an anti-personnel device that uses high-velocity projectiles on multiple axes.”

“So it’s a trap that shoots in all directions,” xe sighed. “Look, I don’t know whether you’re trying to gatekeep or trying to discourage conversation by using big words, but either way it’s not gonna work. I’ve read more books on redstone devices than should really be humanly possible, and right now I’m bored out of my  _ goddamn mind. _ I’m not giving up that easily.”

Herobrine stared at xem, blinking. Then, an unexpected smile spread across his face.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to you doing that,” he observed.

“Doing what?” xe asked warily.

“C’mere. I’ll show you how it actually works,” he replied, dodging the question entirely.

Casey approached the machine, curious despite the potential danger.

“Now, technically this would be completely useless in a cave, especially exposed like this. It really shines when its out in a flat area with little cover, set up in the middle of the battlefield. And even then it’s needlessly complicated and pretty inefficient. Mostly it’s just fun to build. Although, if you could hook it up to a flying machine . . .” he trailed off, suddenly lost in the possibilities. Then he shook himself and continued his explanation.

““As you can see, these four dispensers each face a different cardinal direction. Then, this—” he pointed to the top of the contraption with a redstone torch, “This circuit powers all four of them. When activated, it cycles rapidly between on and off, which makes the dispensers below fire pretty fast.”

“I like it,” xe decided. “It’s simple but satisfying. Though, you were right about it being needlessly complicated.”

“Yeah. They’re more fun in numbers.”

“You know what would be  _ more _ complicated? If every cardinal-direction dispenser was a TNT cannon.”

Herobrine dropped his redstone torch, eyes wide and expression awestruck.

“Please tell me you have spare gunpowder,” he breathed.

“I have almost a stack in my pack,” xe grinned.

He grabbed Casey’s hand and sprinted for the surface. Xe stumbled at first and had to run at full speed to keep up with him, and to keep xemself from falling to the cave floor. Normally, xe’d break free immediately if someone grabbed xem like that, but xe didn’t really have a choice. It was run to keep up or be dragged over the rough stone floor.

Before long however, they emerged into a cool, clear desert night. Herobrine turned to Casey, eyes significantly brighter than usual.

“Here,” xe handed over a large pouch of gunpowder.

He snatched it and bounded over to a patch of sand directly diagonal from one of the shelter’s corners. By the time xe jogged over, he’d already started on the cobblestone frame.

“I’m building it here so your shelter won’t get hit,” he explained breathlessly.

“I appreciate it,” xe nodded.

“And I’m making it as small and simple as possible. Normally I could summon whatever redstone materials I wanted, but of course that’s blocked right now,” he shuddered. “I had to make all my components by  _ hand. _ ”

“I saved most of the parts from the molasses machines I used to summon you,” xe pointed out. “Here, you keep building, I’ll grab ‘em.”

When xe got back, he’d already finished the entire frame, and added the water. It was a lot bigger than the one in the cave, partly because the cannons were a lot bigger than dispensers, and partly because the wiring would be more complicated.

“Y’know, on second thought, encouraging Hero ‘Palace Leveler’ Brine might not have been the best idea,” xe mused.

He laughed. “Too late now!”

He sent xem to make the actual TNT while he worked on the wiring. By the time xe got back, the redstone was complete.

“We only have enough dynamite to use this baby once,” he warned. “We gotta make it count. It’ll look best from the air.”

“I can’t fly, remember?”

He grinned, and that was how Casey ended up on a glass platform a hundred and fifty meters in the air. A tall, flimsy wooden pillar with a ladder running down one side connected it to the ground. Climbing it had been . . . stressful.

“I know this glass is a meter thick and isn’t breaking any time soon but  _ hooo BOY! _ I do not feel secure up here!” xe called.

“Ready?” Herobrine yelled back, ignoring xem. “In three . . . two . . .  _ one! _ ”

He activated the whole contraption and jumped into the sky, rising to Casey’s altitude quickly. They watched the machine below them with bated breath.

Four explosions sounded at once, booming powerfully in xir ears and shaking the glass platform. Thick gray smoke rolled over the contraption, and the distinctive, acrid scent of gunpowder and dust tickled xir nostrils.

Four glowing projectiles shot in four different directions, leaving sparkling streaks in the air for a split second. The world’s most destructive shooting stars.

Then, each projectile exploded in unison. Once again, the shockwave sent the glass platform swaying and buffeted them both with smoky wind. As the gray clouds below dissipated, xe could clearly make out four distinct, smoldering craters in the sand.

As much as Casey felt like xe should be the voice of reason, xe couldn’t stop the wide grin from spreading on xir face. Explosions  _ were _ really fun to watch. Both cool and satisfying.

Herobrine whooped from beside xem, punching the air triumphantly.

“Alright, that was pretty great,” xe admitted, grinning.

Without warning, he swooped over and hugged xem tightly, pulling away just as suddenly. “And to think a human came up with it!” he laughed, delighted.

Casey smiled back. His enthusiasm was infectious. Xe’d never seen him this genuinely happy — though to be fair, xe’d only known him for a few days.

“Lemme climb down and we can look at the craters,” xe suggested. He nodded and darted to the ground. Xe clambered down as fast as possible, leaping the last two meters.

The craters, while much bigger and more interesting up close, were not nearly as cool as the original explosions. Plus, the excitement and adrenaline was wearing off, and exhaustion was starting to weigh heavily on xem.

“I’m sorry, I’m . . .  _ really _ tired,” xe mumbled. It was hard to stay upright, and harder still to keep xir eyes open.

“Oh, right. Get your eight hours, human.”

“Aren’t you tired too?”

“I . . . I guess.” He sounded surprised.

Xe stumbled into the shelter and collapsed into xir bedroll.

“We really need to get you a real bed,” Herobrine remarked.

“That’d be nice,” Casey agreed. Xe heard him flap out his bedroll and lay it flat next to xirs, then flop into it. Xe smiled. It would be a lot easier to sleep with someone next to xem, even if they weren’t in the same bed.

“Thanks for blowing stuff up with me,” he said unexpectedly.

“Of course. It was fun,” xe murmured sleepily. “Oh, I meant to tell you earlier but I forgot . . .”

“Hm? Tell me what?”

“You have a very nice singing voice.”

“I don’t sing,” he replied flatly. “I don’t know what you heard, but I assure you it wasn’t me.”

“My bad. I forgot caves too can sing Fallen Kingdom and break off when they sense humans,” xe deadpanned, sarcastic even when nearly unconscious.

“That must have been an auditory hallucination,” he said primly. “Those happen in caves, y’know.”

“You may have a good singing voice, but you have terrible excuses,” xe mumbled, and when Herobrine protested indignantly, xe didn’t hear it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one made me realize that like half my chapters end with Casey falling asleep? I should probably work on that. also this chap is sort of all over the place but they do grow closer as friends and that's what counts
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	12. The Catacombs

The human settlement came within view that afternoon.

It’d been a good day. After last night’s unconventional team-building exercise, the two of them were much more at ease around each other. For the first time, they felt more like friends rather than coworkers. An hour or so into traveling, Casey brought up something redstone-related, and they discussed contraptions and concepts until lunch.

As much as Casey liked the comfortable conversation, it kindled a deep ache within xem. Talking about redstone for so long reminded xem of one of xir friends. Xe wished they were here.

Soon after lunch, xe could make out something on the horizon. Before long, the shape became clear. It was a sprawling city, ringed by a low stone wall. The gray structure was jarring against the dunes of pale, warm-toned sand.

“That’s a lot bigger than it used to be,” Herobrine remarked.

“Why is the wall so low?” Casey asked. It looked like it was only about three or four meters tall.

“This place is pretty remote. The wall only needs to protect against night monsters, not other humans. There’s a trench before the wall, but you can’t see it from this distance.”

They managed to get a little closer, but not by much. Neither of them wanted to be seen by the shapes patrolling on top of the wall, and in the desert there wasn’t any cover to hide behind.

Casey filled a chest with things xe wouldn’t need for this particular expedition, and buried it in the sand. Xe wanted to bring as little as possible, just in case xe was captured and frisked.

“Ready?” Herobrine asked.

“Nope!” xe answered cheerfully. “Let’s do this.”

He took a deep, steadying breath, focusing his energy. Then he grabbed Casey by the shoulders and closed his eyes, brow furrowed.

A sudden wind swirled around them, throwing sand against xir skin. Xe felt a peculiar thrill surging in xir chest, similar to the weird, stomach-rising feeling one gets while in free-fall.

And then Herobrine vanished.

Casey glanced around the desert, confused. Xe was alone. Xe turned a full circle, concerned now. Was that supposed to happen?

He reappeared directly in front of them.

Xe screamed and leapt back. “Moon _ above! _ You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

“I can’t teleport you in,” he said, folding his arms. “Guess I haven’t restored that yet.”

“Oh. Well, fuck. What do we do then?”

“Pretend to be human travelers, and enter through one of the main gates. We don’t really have a choice.”

Casey groaned. “Great.”

Uneasy, they set off for the gate closest to them. In all fairness, it wasn’t much of a gate. It was just a wooden double door, currently open to the public. There weren’t even any guards watching it.

“They let people come in and out as they please,” Herobrine explained.

“Shouldn’t you cover your eyes?” xe suggested.

He tied a blindfold around his head with a sigh. “I hate having to do this. See, I have a general _ idea _ of where everything is, because of my sensing, but I don’t actually know _ exactly _ where everything is.”

“Oh?”

“I can tell there’s a building over there, for example,” he pointed to a house next to them. “But I can’t tell how far away from us it really is. Could be anywhere from two to ten meters.”

“So you’re saying I should watch and laugh as you walk into walls,” Casey grinned.

“That is _ not _ what I’m saying.”

Xe laughed. “Give me your hand. You tell me where to go, and I’ll get us there. We need to find some catacombs, right?”

“Right,” he reached out hesitantly and xe grabbed his hand.

There’d been a lot of hand-holding going on lately, xe mused. Touch-starved as xe was, xe was _ not _ complaining.

They passed through a bustling marketplace, a wealthy residential district, and finally arrived in a section of run-down slums. From there, Herobrine directed them to a crooked, dusty alleyway.

“Here,” he announced, tearing the blindfold off. “There’s a trapdoor under that pile of sand.”

Here, the air was so thick with fine particles of sand that it lent a strange spotlight effect to his eyes. He blinked, waving a hand through the twin rays of illuminated dust.

Casey pawed through the sand until xe reached a wooden trapdoor. He joined xem and soon they had the whole thing uncovered.

“I’m getting real nervous about this,” xe admitted.

“We’re both convicted criminals, right?”

Xe winced. “Yeah.”

“Then don’t be nervous. We’ll fit right in,” he shot xem a toothy grin and flipped the trapdoor open.

“Thanks. I’m completely calm,” xe said sarcastically, and stepped gingerly onto the ladder. It led down, down, down, through complete darkness, to a tiny hint of light at the bottom.

Herobrine closed the trapdoor after them and deliberately brightened his eyes so Casey could see the rungs before xem.

After a few moments of silence, xe spoke up.

“It’s a desert. How are these catacombs even possible?”

“That’s actually _ why _they’re possible. Most cities have a few underground cellars or something, but nothing as extensive as this. Because of the sand, people were forced to dig much deeper to find real stone. Deep enough that there’s plenty of room for expansion without worrying about reaching the surface accidentally, so it expanded to the point that it developed its own subculture.”

“It’s _ literally _ the city’s dark underbelly.”

“Pretty much.”

By now, they’d almost reached the bottom. Casey hopped to the floor and found xemself in a small stone room lit by a single torch on the wall. Through a narrow doorway, xe could see into a rough-hewn corridor with lanterns hanging from the ceiling at uniform intervals.

Herobrine peered out the doorway. “Oh, good! It’s just as creepy and claustrophobic as I remember!”

“Anyone coming?” xe asked, cautious.

“Not at the moment,” he replied, tying the blindfold around his head once more. “But we’re trying to get somewhere specific, and there will be people along the way.”

“Where are we trying to go?”

“You’ll see,” he answered cryptically, and stepped out into the tunnel. “This way!”

It was eerily silent in the catacombs. The only sound was their footsteps, and occasionally, the ominous echo of a shout or shriek. They passed several tunnels that branched off in other directions or led to small rooms, and glimpsed a few stairways leading up.

Twice, they passed other people. The first time, the two parties ignored each other. But the second time, Casey and Herobrine found themselves before two hulking warriors decked out in full iron armor.

“This is Black Banner territory,” one growled. “I don’t think you belong here.”

The other just glared at them.

“We’re just passing through,” Herobrine said calmly. “We’re wanted in the inner sanctum.”

“Oh. W-well, hurry along then,” the first one gestured. The other warrior had gone from glaring to blatantly staring at them. Casey shifted under his gaze, uncomfortable.

The moment they were out of earshot, xe turned to Herobrine. “Inner sanctum? Is that where we’re going?”

He just smiled.

Eventually, they reached a wide room that seemed slightly nicer than the corridors they’d seen so far. The walls were paved with stone brick rather than hewn out of the rock, and there was a stained purple rug covering most of the floor. There were no entrances or exits other than the doorway they’d entered from.

“If we were supposed to be here, we’d know how to open that door,” Herobrine explained, pointing to one of the walls. “But we’re not, so we’re gonna use this secret passage instead.”

He rolled back a corner of the rug to reveal a trapdoor set in the floor.

“This place really likes their secret trapdoors, huh?” Casey said with a nervous laugh.

“_ Hurry, _ human. Someone’s coming.”

Xe opened the trapdoor and discovered a small tunnel, about a meter wide and a meter tall, leading away into the unknown. Xe hunkered down to fit in the small space and slowly crawled through the cramped tunnel. It was like hiding under a bed except worse in every way.

Luckily, the passage wasn’t very long, and xe bumped against something wooden before long. Xe pushed hard on it, and suddenly it swung open, depositing xem onto a wide stone staircase. The sides of the stairwell had been decorated with carved wooden plates, and one of them covered the secret passage. It was clever, xe’d give them that.

Herobrine crawled out behind xem, only slightly more graceful.

“No one’s down here, and no one will be for at least an hour,” he announced, pulling the blindfold off once again. “Come along!”

At the bottom of the steps, there was a pair of wooden double doors. He beckoned Casey impatiently and ushered xem inside.

Xir jaw dropped.

“Casey, I give you . . . the inner sanctum!” his voice echoed dramatically in the large room.

The room was wider than any of the others xe’d seen in the catacombs, with a much higher ceiling. The floor was paved out of polished gray tile, and the walls were stone brick, decorated with a subtle inlay of diorite. Six shiny black pillars marked the spaces between several doorways leading off in various directions. There was another set of double doors at the opposite end of the room, but these were made of solid iron rather than wood.

“That’s where the big, dangerous, important people hang out to intimidate their underlings,” explained Herobrine, gesturing to the iron double doors. “Most of these sideways corridors lead to cells or storage rooms. But one of them leads to what looks like a lab of sorts. That’s where we’re headed.”

“Cells?” Casey echoed, following him as he set off for one of the doorways.

“Y’know, unpleasant rooms to put enemies or annoyances in.”

“There are _ prisoners _ down here?” xe cried.

“Only like, six or so. Most of the people who make a living down here don’t keep prisoners. More trouble than they’re worth.”

“That’s _ worse! _”

“Do you have a problem with your fellow man being imprisoned and/or killed, or do you have a problem with the idea that _ you _ might be imprisoned and/or killed?”

“Yes!”

He turned to face xem. “Look at me.”

Xe reluctantly met his gaze.

“Most of the people in cells down here are criminals themselves. I don’t know who’s being locked up because they need to be contained and who’s being locked up unfairly. And we don’t have the time to figure it out.

“As for _ you _ being imprisoned or killed . . . that’s not gonna happen while I’m here. Stay close to me, and no one and nothing can hurt you. That whole ‘mutually beneficial agreement’ thing depends on us both being alive, and I plan to keep it that way.”

“I . . . I believe you,” Casey whispered. His eyes were unnatural and captivating, and they reminded xem of who exactly xe was dealing with here. If _ Herobrine _ told xem xe was safe, xe was probably safe. The thought comforted xem.

“Good. Come on, now. We’re almost there,” he shot xem a small, honest smile xe’d never seen on him before, and continued down the hall.

Down another few steps, through a cramped corridor with an ominously flickering lantern, and suddenly xe found xemself in a room unlike anything xe’d ever seen before.

The center of the room was dominated by a large, elevated planter box filled with soul sand and nether wart. Brewing stands lined the walls, and colorful bottles filled the shelves over them. A curious smell, both spicy and metallic, hung in the air.

“Oh. It’s _ that _ kind of lab,” Casey realized.

“It sure is,” Herobrine agreed. He stepped forward, running a hand over the bottles on the shelves.

“What do they make here?”

He knelt by a brewing stand and inspected the bottles hanging there. “Strength, regeneration, speed, slow-falling, and tranquilizer. The usual.”

“Really? I thought those were just normal potions.”

“Add enough glowstone and the effects get pretty crazy.”

“Is someone really using _ tranquilizer _ to get their fix?”

He laughed. “Probably not. It’s for knocking out enemies, I’m guessing.”

Xe peered at the shelves. “They don’t even label their product.”

“Ugh, now that’s just poor management.”

“I expect better from illegal subterranean drug labs,” xe said solemnly, shaking xir head.

“I think I’ll have to send them a _ very _strongly-worded letter,” he agreed, feigning complete seriousness.

“Excuse me, Mr. Crimelord? Sir? I need to speak to your manager,” xe snickered.

“Oh no, I’m going straight to corporate,” he adopted a shrill, mocking voice, “_ Your boss’s boss is going to hear about this! _”

“Zero stars. Atmosphere was garbage and customer service was nonexistent.”

“When I tried to speak to a customer service representative, he called me an eldritch horror and an affront against nature before trying to beat me to death. I do NOT recommend this — this—” he started laughing and couldn’t stop.

“I do NOT recommend this illegal subterranean drug lab,” xe squeaked through xir laughter, struggling to breathe.

Whether it was the surreal quality of the situation or the release of the previous tension, the two of them ended up laughing for a good long while.

“Okay, okay, be serious,” Herobrine finally said, still giggling a bit. “There are people in the inner sanctum now, so we gotta get moving.”

“Right,” xe replied, mirth fading. “Where do we go from here?”

“Well, I sorta thought this place would trigger something. See, I had this way to give myself and others temporary increases or decreases of ability. It’s like drinking a potion, but without the actual potion. And I could control how intense the effect was or how long it lasted. I thought maybe seeing some potions would restore that a bit but, uh, doesn’t appear to be working.”

“Maybe you have to actually take a potion,” xe suggested. “To sorta simulate giving yourself the effect, maybe? What was one you used a lot?”

“Invisibility,” he replied immediately.

“We have all the supplies right here. Why don’t you just make yourself a potion of invisibility and we’ll see what happens from there?”

“Might as well.”

He uncorked a bottle of what appeared to be normal water and sniffed it cautiously, then dropped a few chunks of a golden carrot in and hung it on a brewing stand. The potion boiled for a few minutes, the carrot chunks disintegrating in the hot liquid. When he took it off the stand, it was a deep, violent shade of indigo. Faint illusions of watchful eyes appeared in the concoction and faded away just as fast.

Herobrine rummaged through a barrel in the corner and came up with a handful of fermented spider eyes. Ignoring Casey’s revolted shudder, he dropped one into the bottle and set it back on the stand. This time, when he pulled it off the stand, it was a delicate shade of silver and billowed when he shook the bottle.

“It’s like a bottleful of clouds,” xe murmured, amazed.

“Cheers!” he winked at xem and downed the entire bottle.

He disappeared instantly. The only thing giving away his location was the empty glass bottle floating in midair.

“Oh, that’s so weird,” xe grinned.

The empty bottle set itself on a shelf. Xe felt a sudden wind blow through xir hair, which was odd because xe was underground.

Xe watched two glowing white eyes appear in thin air, disembodied and even creepier than usual.

Herobrine laughed, and suddenly a shockwave knocked xem off-balance. A great explosive noise boomed in xir ears, deafening xem. Then there was silence.

Casey dropped xir arms — xe’d instinctively covered xir face — and gasped. The shockwave had shattered every bottle in the room. That’s what the noise had been. Brightly-colored liquid dripped off shelves and brewing stands, puddling on the floor.

Herobrine reappeared, floating half a meter off the floor, eyes bright.

“Did that work?” xe tried tentatively.

He grinned, displaying all those sharp teeth. “C’mere, human. Give me your hand.”

“Um, okay,” xe stepped forward and extended an arm, nervous. “Can I ask why?”

In response, he clapped Casey’s hand between his own and muttered something quickly. Xe jolted as a wave of rosy pink energy swept through xir body, leaving xem tingling and out of breath.

“Try moving around,” he suggested slyly.

Xe stretched cautiously and felt the difference immediately. Every burn, scrape, bruise, and ache xe’d accumulated over the past few days was completely absent. The painful bruising along xir shoulders and hips from rolling over the ground when the summoning circle had exploded, the soreness in xir palms from mining so much redstone in so little time just a few days earlier, the stabbing ache in xir feet and legs from so much constant walking. All gone.

“What _ was _ that?” xe breathed.

“Just a little regeneration,” he answered smugly. “Feel better?”

“Yeah! I feel great!” xe exclaimed. Xe hadn’t even realized how sore xe’d been, or how much it was weighing on xir mental state. Suddenly, xe found xemself hopeful and excited, even confident.

“Good. Cause we gotta go.”

“Oh shit, yeah,” Casey realized. “I bet shattering all that glass wasn’t quiet.”

“It sure wasn’t! Now, have you ever snuck around invisible before?”

“No?”

“I didn’t think so. It takes practice, practice you don’t have, so that’s out. How about I give a speed boost and we run for the nearest exit, really, really fast?”

“Sounds good.”

He grabbed xir hand again and murmured a new spell. This time, xe felt xir vision change. Xe couldn’t see things in xir peripherals nearly as well, but xe could see the things xe actually focused on in much greater detail.

“Whoa,” xe whispered, observing the wood grain of the shelves. It was so intricate and beautiful.

“Stay with me, human. Ready to run?”

Casey straightened. “Right. Let’s do this.”

“Follow me!”

And the two of them began to run.

At first, xe nearly tripped numerous times. Xe wasn’t used to being able to run so fast, and it was hard to adjust to. But xe managed to catch xemself each time, and soon xe had the hang of it.

They were halfway back to the room with the pillars when they passed someone in the hall.

“Hey! Stop right there!” he shouted, drawing a sword.

But they blew right past him before he could even get the word “there” out. They could hear him giving chase behind them.

In the six-pillars room, they found a team of four armored warriors. The warriors clearly expected them to fight, because they unsheathed blades and hefted maces. Instead, the two of them just kept running. The warriors cried out in alarm and frustration and started running after them.

They rocketed to the top of the steps, and Herobrine shoved Casey into the secret passage without hesitation or warning. They paused in the tiny dark tunnel for a moment, panting.

“Where’d they go?” one of their chasers barked. The sound was curiously muffled to those hiding in the secret passage.

“They must have gotten out,” another growled.

“That means they know how to get _ in _,” yet another pointed out.

“We’ll interrogate them when we catch them!” the first yowled. “Onward!”

Hidden in the tunnel, the two heard several pistons fire and stone grind on stone. The hurried footsteps of the warriors faded away.

Casey pushed up on the trapdoor and crawled out of the passageway, back in the outer sanctum.

“I can’t believe that worked,” xe remarked.

“They’ll spread the word, and everyone will be on high alert. We still need to get out of here as soon as possible,” Herobrine replied shortly. “The closest exit isn’t far away.”

Xe trotted after him. Sure enough, they soon found another little room carved out of the rock. A ladder ascended up into darkness.

Casey stepped onto the first rung and began the long climb. There was no conversation on the ladder this time. Both of them were too focused on climbing as fast as possible.

At the top, xe opened yet another trapdoor and found xemself in another gloomy, dusty alleyway. Battered barrels had been stacked on either side of the trapdoor to hide it from anyone glancing into the alley. It was much darker outside than it had been when they’d entered the catacombs.

“The sun’s setting,” xe informed Herobrine.

“Most cities close the gates at sunset. We need to hurry,” he said, putting on the blindfold. “Ugh, I’m getting real tired of this thing.”

“Can you sense the nearest gate?”

He paused for a moment, then nodded. “We’ll get there the same way we got to the catacombs entrance originally. I give directions, you get us there.”

“Got it.”

Once again, the two of them set off. However, to keep the illusion of Casey guiding a blind man, they were forced to speed-walk rather than sprint. Someone dragging some blindfolded dude through the streets at top speed was pretty suspicious.

But by the time the gates were in view, they were closed. Four heavily-armed guards dressed in full iron armor stood before them.

Herobrine frowned. “Those don’t feel like open doors.”

“They’re not,” Casey sighed. “We’re too late.”

“Well, we can’t stay in here. You didn’t bring any money for an inn.”

“What do we do?”

“Sneak out, I guess. We find a hidden alleyway, I’ll summon a ladder so we can scale the wall, and we escape.”

“Into a desert at night? That’ll be suicide.”

“The night monsters won’t even come near us. They give me a wide berth.”

Casey considered it for a moment, but it wasn’t like xe really had a choice. Xe didn’t want to stay in the human settlement for any longer than necessary. Escape was the only option.

“Fine. Let’s do it,” xe decided.

Once again, Herobrine gave directions while Casey led him by the hand. They snuck between ramshackle houses with boarded-up windows, halting in a crooked alley that ended in a vast expanse of gray stone. The outer wall.

“This place sure likes its ominous alleyways,” xe noted. The buildings were blocking most of the setting sun’s rays, leaving them in shadow that grew darker and darker.

“These kind of cities usually do,” he agreed, materializing a stack of ladder-segments in his hands. “Here.”

“Why’d you pick _ this _ ominous alleyway?” xe asked, affixing the first ladder-segment to the wall.

“Less humans in these houses.”

Xe attached the second ladder-segment and climbed a few rungs to fasten the next one. The wall wasn’t very tall, but adding to the ladder wasn’t the quickest task. It took a few moments to attach each segment.

Casey had just fastened the last portion when xe heard Herobrine gasp and then swear from below xem.

“Casey, get down_ right now, _” he hissed.

Xe hopped down without question, rolling with the impact and springing to xir feet. “What’s wrong?”

“Come on!” he darted to the end of the alleyway and disappeared behind a building.

Xe followed, finding him hiding just around the corner. Not quite sure what was going on, xe crouched beside him.

“There’s people patrolling the wall,” he whispered. “One of them was coming straight toward us.”

“What if they see the ladder?” xe whispered back.

He shrugged, then held a finger to his lips as they both heard footsteps. The loud, clanky footsteps of someone wearing full iron armor and walking on stone. It had to be the wall patroller. Xe held xir breath.

The footsteps stopped. So did Casey’s heart.

The patroller whistled, loud and sharp. 

“That’s less than ideal,” Herobrine muttered.

Xe didn’t have to ask why, because xe soon heard it. Another pair of clanky footsteps, running, and then another. Two more patrollers, running to the first one’s aid.

“Sir?” one asked.

“You boys see this?” another said in a low, gruff voice.

“It’s a ladder, sir,” yet another answered.

“Someone’s trying to sneak away under the cover of darkness. Mighty suspicious. Split up and search the area,” Gruff-Voice ordered.

Casey turned to Herobrine, despair and panic rising in xir chest. “_ What do we do? _”

“Long-term invis is too risky . . . you’ve never gone invisible before . . .” he mused. “I’ll tell you what we do.”

He stood up, and motioned for xem to as well.

“What?” xe whispered.

“We walk as quietly as possible and get as far from this part of town as possible. If they see us, we run like hell.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Too bad. Let’s move.”

Silently, the two of them began to creep forward. They made it quite a few meters without incident, and the looming threat of capture and interrogation began to fade in Casey’s mind.

And then xir foot came down on an especially crunchy patch of sand, and someone overhead yelled “Hey!”

Xe froze, heart pounding.

“Too late,” Herobrine remarked calmly. “_ Run. _”

“Over there!” someone shouted.

Casey leapt forward and threw xemself into a frantic sprint. The sound of xir soles slapping the pavement echoed off the buildings around xem and filled the air with far too much noise. Overhead, xe could hear patrollers hollering, both to each other and to xem.

There were no directions or planned decisions this time. Xe ran like xir life depended on it — which to be far, it felt like it did — rounding sharp turns and hopping fences at random to lose xir chasers. More than once, xe slipped on a patch of sand or tripped over uneven ground and nearly wiped out.

Xe ducked into yet _ another _ shabby alleyway and found xemself staring at a smooth wall of gray stone bricks. The outer wall again, but more importantly, a dead end.

Xe turned quickly, but it was too late. Two of the patrollers were perched on nearby roofs, and one was standing at the other end of the alley. They were trapped.

“We have you surrounded!” shouted Gruff-Voice, who was blocking the opposite end. “Hands up!

Casey lifted xir palms slowly, breathing faster and faster. Out of the corner of xir eye, xe could see Herobrine copying the motion.

“You tried to escape the city after the gates were closed, tried to climb the wall, and tried to evade arrest,” Gruff-Voice went on. “You’re spending the rest of your night in a cell.”

“What do we do?” xe murmured.

“Charge the guy at the end of the alleyway and take him out. Then, run for the ladder we already built,” he answered quietly.

“Come on now! Come quietly, and you won’t get into any more trouble than you’re already in!” Gruff-Voice called.

“There’s no time! Take him out!” he whispered.

“I . . . I . . .” Casey stammered. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“Self-defense doesn’t break contract! _ Go! _”

“No, I mean, I literally can’t. I . . . I don’t know how to fight.”

The confession dropped into the silence between them with all the weight of a falling anvil. Xe cringed at xir own words. Admitting it out loud, in such a precarious situation no less, felt like slowly sinking into deadly lava.

Herobrine stared at xem, aghast. Xe wished xe really was sinking into lava. It’d be vastly preferable.

And then he _ growled, _ a deep, menacing noise so _ not human _ that Casey instinctively recoiled. The patrollers paused their approach, thrown off-guard by the sound.

He tore the blindfold off and turned to face xem in the same motion, so the patrollers wouldn’t see his eyes. Xe felt a tug on xir hip — the sword, he was taking xir sword — _ oh stars he was going to kill xem right here and now— _

Herobrine plunged the blade into the space between them, and Casey shrieked. 

But the expected explosion of agony never came. He’d lodged the sword in the wall next to xem, under xir arm. Xe stared at the gleaming blade that _ hadn’t _ killed xem and then up at him.

“Play dead,” he hissed. His tone was cold and his empty eyes colder.

He pulled the sword from the wall and xe collapsed to the ground as if he’d really stabbed xem. 

“Whoa!” one of the patrollers yelped. Another swore loudly.

“Open—” Gruff-Voice began.

But at that moment, before he could finish the command, Herobrine turned to face them and deliberately flared his eyes.

Two of the patrollers screamed, and all of them took a few involuntary steps back. One took quite a few steps back, his heavy breathing loud.

“Easy now! Stay with me, James!” Gruff-Voice warned. “That is a direct order!”

“Come on, James. Stay with us,” Herobrine said in that horrible, melodic lilt. The twist in his words that xe’d heard when he was talking about revenge was back, and much stronger. “What could go wrong?”

The patroller, supposedly named James, whimpered. Suddenly, he turned tail and fled. They could all hear his clanging footsteps recede as he ran across the rooftops.

“Open fire!” Gruff-Voice commanded. 

The patroller still on the roof loosed a shaky arrow. Herobrine stepped neatly out of its path with a derisive snort, and uttered something in the broken-glass language.

Gruff-Voice drew breath for another order, but what left his mouth was a guttural groan of pain. He doubled over, clutching at his abdomen.

“Sir?” the remaining rooftop patroller tried uncertainly.

“A-again,” he choked out. “Fire again.”

He crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath.

“It — it hurts,” he panted.

Herobrine’s eyes narrowed a hair, sharpening their glow. He muttered another phrase in that harsh language, and suddenly Gruff-Voice stopped groaning. In fact, he stopped moving altogether.

The rooftop patroller gasped aloud, dropped his bow, and ran.

“Coast clear,” said Herobrine. “Get up.”

Casey got to xir feet, shaking with a curious mixture of adrenaline, fear, relief, and horror. Xe nodded to the motionless form on the ground. “He’s not dead, is he?”

“No, just unconscious,” his tone was chilly and harsh. “Follow me.”

He led xem through twisting streets and back yards, until they ended up in the alleyway where xe’d built the ladder. Discarding subtlety, he ignored the wooden rungs and leapt to the top of the wall in one powerful jump. Xe climbed the ladder quickly, unable to meet his cold white gaze.

“How am I gonna get down?” xe asked, peering over the edge. To deter spiders, the exterior side of the wall had been built with an overhang at the top, meaning Casey couldn’t just build a ladder down.

“Jump,” Herobrine replied flatly.

Casey groaned and took a few steps back for a running start. With this kind of jump, xe preferred to have forward momentum as well as downward so xe could roll with the impact and dissipate its force.

Xe took a deep breath and sprinted forward, throwing xemself into thin air. Xir stomach rose as xe fell, and the instinct to close xir eyes was almost overwhelming. But xe held it together and sank forward into a somersault the moment xir foot hit the ground, spraying sand everywhere.

“Where’s our little camp? Where I buried my chest?” xe asked, shaking grit from xir hair and dusting off xir limbs.

“This way. Follow me.”

His voice was as cold and sharp as a knife. Every word felt like being stabbed.

At least he hadn’t been exaggerating about the night beasts leaving them alone. Every creeper or undead creature they approached scampered out of the way long before they reached them.

It was a long, painful walk back to camp nonetheless. The temperature had dropped to the point that xe was shivering uncontrollably, and this time there was no friendly conversation to cheer xem up. Xe looked at the sandy ground beneath xir feet and wished xe was anywhere else.

Herobrine stopped dead and wordlessly pointed to a patch of sand to his right. Xe got to digging, and sure enough, xe soon uncovered the little chest. Xe started rummaging through it, looking for some wood to build a shelter with.

“Why didn’t you tell me you can’t fight?” Herobrine asked abruptly.

Casey froze, suddenly glad xe was staring into a chest so xe didn’t have to meet his gaze.

“It just never really came up.”

“Really? When I asked you about self-defense and you said, and I quote, _ ‘I’m willing to fight to defend us’ _? It never came up, huh?”

“I said I was willing to, not that I actually can,” xe mumbled lamely.

He growled, and xe felt the hair on the back of xir neck stand up. “Don’t play dumb, human.”

“Because . . . because . . .” xe _ really _ didn’t want to say this out loud. “Because, well, I just . . . I didn’t want you to think less of me. Obviously _ that _ backfired.”

“Look at me.”

Casey stood up and turned to face him. He was standing just a couple meters from xem, arms crossed.

“You know I’m not gonna kill you if I ‘think less of you’, right?” he said.

“What? That’s not what I was worried about! I mean, it kind of is now, cause you put the thought there, but—” xe cut xemself off before xe could start to ramble.

“Oh. That’s usually what it is when humans don’t tell me important stuff,” he shrugged. “What is it then?”

Xe looked off to the side, one hand fiddling with the hem of xir shirt. “I . . . it’s really stupid.”

“Can’t be any stupider than thinking I just kill every human who even slightly annoys me. Spit it out.”

“Well . . . I just . . . we were, I don’t know, kind of almost-friends? And I . . . really liked it. I didn’t want that to change, and I knew that if you knew how . . . _ useless _ I am, it would change.” To xir immense frustration, tears began to prick at xir eyes. “And then I went and fucked it up anyways so it’s all — it’s just — whatever. You get the point.”

Casey turned back to the chest, which xe knew was rather rude but if xe faced him any longer xe’d start crying which would be much, much worse.

“Aren’t you cold?” Herobrine asked unexpectedly.

Xe paused, thrown by the question. “Yeah, I guess.”

“And tired?”

“Yeah.”

Now that he mentioned it, xe realized xe was _ exhausted. _ It’d been a long, stressful day, with plenty of physical activity and emotional rollercoasters. Xe was about ready to pass out right there in the sand. Xe wasn’t even sure xe could muster up the energy to build a shelter for the night.

“Why don’t you take shelter in a cave tonight? Nothing will bug you with me around.”

“Really? Wait, what about my chest?”

“We’ll come back for it in the morning. Come on.”

Confused and intrigued, Casey followed him to a cave entrance, and then deep into the earth. Herobrine didn’t bother with torches, and xe hadn’t brought any, but he brightened his eyes until they put out enough light to see by. The two of them passed beneath long, glittering stalactites and slid down a small gravel slope. Once, they crossed a small underwater stream.

In a round little cavern with a natural chandelier of glowing crystals hanging from the ceiling, they stopped.

“Here,” Herobrine announced, and spread his bedroll on the floor.

Casey unrolled xirs, xir initial uncertainty lingering. _ Isn’t he still mad? Oh stars, what if it’s a trap? It’s probably a trap. _

“Why are you helping me? xe asked, trying to seem nonchalant.

“ _ Someone _ ’s gotta keep you alive,” he replied roughly.

“Oh. Um, g-good night.”

Xe rolled over to face the wall, unsettled. It was a long time before xe fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good LORD this chapter is DUMMY THICC! and it ended with Casey falling asleep! again!! why is that always my go-to for chapter endings!? ANYWAYS. this one was a lot of fun to write, and hopefully as much fun to read!!!
> 
> EDIT: fixed up the ending! it felt a little out of character
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	13. Sparring and Spelunking

Someone was shaking Casey awake. 

That was pretty odd. Xir friends had long since learned the foolproof method of waking xem up, and it wasn’t shaking xem awake. Besides, they usually let xem wake up on xir own, unless xe was about to miss breakfast.

Wait. Had xe found xir friends already? Xe couldn’t remember. It seemed far too important to forget. Why couldn’t xe remember?

_ “CASEY!” _

Xe jolted awake and sat straight up, gasping. “What? What’s going on?”

“Ugh, finally. I thought you might be comatose,” Herobrine remarked, folding his arms.

Xe rubbed the sleep from xir eyes. Xe was in a small, roughly-spherical cavern with long, glowing crystals dangling from the ceiling. A familiar figure was floating near the ceiling, watching xem with those bright white eyes.

“Why’d you wake me up?” xe rasped, slipping out of xir bedroll and stretching.

“Because there are things to do and I got tired of waiting for you to wake up on your own,” he answered matter-of-factly.

“Fair,” xe conceded, then glanced down. “Whoa! Did you make breakfast?”

On the floor before xem, next to xir bedroll, there laid a large square of yellow fabric, piled with food. Hot buttered toast, sliced apples, a few strawberries, even a mug of steaming tea. Xe hadn’t had tea since the tavern in the village over Grayfall.

“Something like that,” he said smugly. “Eat quickly. I have something to show you.”

Confused but grateful, Casey thanked him and dug in. Xe couldn’t remember the last time xe’d had a strawberry, or black tea. Both were as delicious as xe remembered. All too soon, there was nothing left but crumbs and strawberry leaves. 

“That was amazing,” xe sighed.

“You say that about almost every meal,” Herobrine pointed out. His tone wasn’t cold or harsh like it was last night. He seemed to be acting as if Casey’s failure had never happened.

“Every meal is amazing,” xe countered. Xe was quite relieved that he didn’t seem upset about it still.

He smiled at that and dropped to the floor with a thump. “Come.”

“Ah yes,” xe said. “This mysterious thing you have to show me.”

He led xem through the cave, steadily heading upward. They stepped over a tiny subterranean stream, clambered up a small gravel slope, and walked through a passage of sparkling stalactites. Finally, they climbed out of the cave into searing desert sunlight.

Xe shielded xir eyes and peered at the city in the distance. “We’re awfully close to them. Should be worried?”

“No,” he snorted. “Those cowards would never leave their walls. We’ll be fine here.”

“So, what’s this thing you wanted to show me?”

“Think fast!” he cried in response, and chucked something at Casey’s head.

Startled, xe reacted out of pure instinct and batted the object out of the air. It landed in the sand by xir feet, and xe bent to pick it up.

It was a simple wooden sword, made out of a long stick stripped of any extra twigs, with a crude crossguard made out of another, shorter stick.

“What’s this for?” xe asked warily. Xe glanced over at Herobrine and saw he was holding a wooden sword of his own.

“You don’t know how to fight. I don’t want you, the other end of our contract, to die. Knowing how to fight helps you not die. So, I’m going to teach you to fight,” he announced.

Xe looked at the ramshackle weapon in xir hand with trepidation. “Okay? You know, I can fight _ night beasts, _ it’s just other humans I’d be killed instantly by.”

“Well, it’s not the night beasts putting bounties on our heads, is it? We’re both wanted criminals and its humans that want us. You’re going to need to know how to defend yourself.”

Xe sighed. “I know. You’re right.”

“I usually am. Now, attack me.”

Casey sized him up, thinking fast. Judging by what xe’d read, he was “unholy and deadly in combat”, so that didn’t exactly fill xem with confidence. Xe wasn’t strong enough to charge him directly, and not skilled enough to try a more advanced feint or something similar.

A common tactic was to rush someone head-on, then twist and strike from the side at the last moment. Perhaps xe could flip that, circle him and pretend to attack from the side, then dart in directly.

Xe began to creep to the left, angling xemself carefully so only one side of xir body faced him, to make xem a smaller target. He turned slowly, keeping xem in eyesight the entire time but letting xem get closer. And closer. And closer . . .

Xe took two sudden, swift steps to the left, then turned and charged him, thrusting xir sword forward.

He stepped calmly out of the way.

Without the expected body there to stop xir momentum, xe found xemself stumbling and falling to the ground. Xe managed to twist at the last second, landing on xir left arm and shoulder rather than xir face. Immediately, xe rolled onto xir back, swinging xir sword up to counteract the blow that was surely coming.

But xir blade passed through empty air. The swing’s momentum carried xir arm all the way around and the moment it touched the ground, a foot came down on xir wrist, pinning it to the sand.

Suddenly, there was a wooden swordpoint under xir chin. Xe went cross-eyed staring at the blade.

“Good concept, bad execution,” Herobrine commented, stepping off xir arm. “Again.”

Casey got to xir feet, massaging xir wrist. Stung, xe opted for a more cautious approach.

Xe started with a few meek swings that didn’t come close to touching him. Then, xe lunged forward with a powerful downward slice.

Near the end of the swing, when xir sword was closest to the ground, he brought his own blade down on it. The strike knocked it clean from xir hand. Xe stared at xir stinging, empty fingers, uncomprehending. Too late, xe looked back up.

Suddenly an arm was locked over xir chest, and xe was pulled backwards and pressed against someone. Once again, there was a wooden sword against xir neck.

“My blows are much stronger than yours. You need to focus on flexibility rather than power,” Herobrine said, right next to xir ear, and released xem. “Again.”

Casey was already getting tired of sparring.

Xe decided to charge him head-on. At the last moment, xe’d twist to the left and hit him from the side. Xe took a few steps back and began to run at him, blade cocked to attack.

But before xe got nearly close enough, he started moving too. Xe faltered, suddenly uncertain. In that moment, he reached xem and sliced under xir arm, dealing a devastating strike to xir ribs.

Casey shrieked with pain and dropped to the ground, clutching at the throbbing stripe under xir arm.

“Your opponent isn’t an anchored object that only attacks when you get too close. They’re a living, moving thing, and they can attack you while you’re gearing up. Again.”

“That _ really _ hurt,” xe complained, loathing the waver in xir voice.

Herobrine’s eyes flared. “Physical fights hurt. You know what hurts more? Literally fucking dying because you can’t defend yourself. _ Again. _”

Xe got to xir feet, fury bubbling up within xem. This time, xe went straight to attacking him again, without giving xemself time to plan or back up for a charge.

Xe gripped xir sword with both hands and started slicing. Each swing led into the next to conserve time and energy. He blocked each one with the resounding _ CLACK! _ of wood on wood.

“Good!” he exclaimed. “Keep the momentum going!”

They both swung at the same time and briefly locked blades. Remembering his superior strength, xe pulled xir sword free of the temporary stalemate and sliced up at his ribs. He jumped backwards a tiny bit to dodge the blow, and that emboldened Casey. Xe swung again and again, trying to force him backward. But he stopped each strike with one of his own.

Frustrated, xe forgoed strategy and whirled a full 360° to give xir sword more momentum. To xir horror, by the time xe was facing forward again, Herobrine was gone.

Xe felt fingers hook the back of xir shirt and tug fiercely backwards. For a brief second, there was a terrible pressure on xir throat as xir shirt’s neckline strangled xem, and then xe was falling backwards. Xe hit the sand hard and felt xir breath leave xem.

Yet again, there was a wooden swordpoint at xir neck.

“Big, dramatic hits that require you to turn your back on an opponent aren’t worth the risk. I’m much stronger than you, so you need to be more flexible than me to compensate. Stop trying to plan one big, perfect strike and start improvising a ton of smaller, imperfect strikes,” he instructed.

As angry as xe was, Casey could recognize the truth in his words, and that only made xem angrier. Not only was he kicking xir ass, he was _ right. _ It was infuriating.

Xe stood up, breathing hard from both physical exertion and rage. “I’d like to take a break, please.”

“No, you don’t. You want to give up because this doesn’t come to you naturally,” his eyes narrowed to fierce white slits. “And I’m not going to let you.”

_ He’s smart, _ some calm corner of xir brain realized. _ Possibly dangerously so. _

But most of xem wasn’t so calm and calculating. Most of xem wanted to uppercut him into the stratosphere for the insidious crime of being right.

“Fine,” xe spat, and charged him.

To the surprise of no one, he dodged the assault easily. As xe was passing him, he rapped the back of one xir knees with his sword.

Xe yelped, crumpling to the ground. Immediately, xe leapt to xir feet and swung at him again.

In that moment, something clicked in xir mind. Suddenly, xe didn’t care about winning. Xe didn’t care about trying to give him some kind of comeuppance. Xe would redeem xemself through perseverance alone. If xir fighting didn’t impress him, xir determination would.

He blocked it of course, but the attacks just kept coming. Xe’s plan was to drive him backwards, but xe ended up tiring xemself out without making any real progress. Xe paused briefly, panting, and instantly Herobrine struck. Xe blocked the blow just in time, arms shaking from the effort.

He swung three times in quick succession, forcing xem back, then managed to knock the sword from xir hand. Before xe could do anything to retaliate, his blade was at xir neck _ again. _

Xe took a deep breath and pushed down xir fury. Calmly, xe picked up xir wooden sword and faced him yet again. Xe would _ not _ give up.

Twice more the cycle repeated. Casey would attack him, he’d block or dodge every strike until he got bored and went on the offensive, then he’d tear through xir defenses like they were wet paper. Twice more xe ended up covered in sand with a swordpoint at xir throat.

And twice more, xe ignored xir frustration and attacked him yet again.

Xe was shaking all over from adrenaline and the exertion, coated in both sweat and sand. Xir eyes were wild, xir chest heaving. But xe refused to give in. Xe’d keep attacking out of spite, if nothing else.

“Enough,” Herobrine said nonchalantly, forcing xem to halt mid-swing. “You’re clearly exhausted.”

“I can still fight,” xe rasped, but xir bravado was rather undercut by the fact that xe had to gasp for breath between every few syllables.

He raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps, but right now you can’t learn. There’s no point in sparring if you’re too tired to learn from it.”

Casey conceded with a nod, panting, and laid down on the sand. “Gimme a . . . minute to . . . catch my breath.”

After a few minutes, xir breathing wasn’t nearly so rapid, and xir heart no longer felt like it was going to pound right out of xir chest. Xe sat up, groaning as each new bruise and scrape throbbed.

“I’m starving,” xe announced. “Could you summon us some kind of . . . like, cold food? I’m way too hot for something warm like soup or grilled meat. Ooo, and cold water too?”

He handed xem a plate of salad and a glass bottle of water. Xe devoured it in a flash and chugged down most of the water, dumping the remaining quarter on xir own head.

“Aren’t you hungry too?” xe asked, standing up and wincing with pain.

“Why would I be?”

“Cause we just sparred a bunch? And that consumes energy? You kicked my ass like ten times, dude, how are you not exhausted?”

“What, like it’s hard?” he smirked. Casey really hated his smirk. 

Xe glared ferociously at him, but he didn’t seem to notice. “Well,_ anyways. _ What do we do next?”

“Today, or in general?”

“Yes.”

“Well, if we’re _ here, _ then the next closest restoration location would be . . . oh good!”

“What is it?”

“It’s one of my favorite cave systems. You’ll love it.”

Xe perked up at that. “I do love me a good cave system.”

“Okay, here’s the plan: We rest for most of today, and _ maybe _ spar again in the evening. Then, starting tomorrow, we work our way towards that cave system, training daily and resting every few days.”

“How far away _ is _ it?” xe asked anxiously.

“_ Quite _ a few kilometers North,” he answered.

“Ughhh, I’m so tired of traveling North,” xe complained. “How’d I get out of the mountains? North. Where did the encouraging dream people tell me to go? North. It’s always North!”

“Oh, what a terrible plight,” Herobrine deadpanned, then froze. “Wait. Encouraging dream people?”

“Yeah! They came to me in a dream and told me to go North, then I met them in real life. One wears a cyan button-up and purple pants, the other wears a green tunic and brown leggings. And afterward all the villagers told me they weren’t human,” xe frowned. “It was really weird.”

He stared at xem, open-mouthed. Then he laughed and shook his head. “Of course you’ve met them. I shouldn’t even be surprised.”

“Them?” xe echoed.

“Oh, just some old friends.”

“The same old friends you visited a few days ago?”

“. . . Yes. You don’t miss much, do you?”

Xe mentally filed the information away for later. “Anyways, dream people aside for a sec. Why don’t we get a headstart and start traveling today? Staying here until tomorrow just wastes time.”

“Because yesterday was stressful and exhausting for both of us, and if we take a break now, we’ll travel faster tomorrow. It might not look like it _ now, _ but it’s more efficient overall.”

“I’m getting really tired of you being right,” xe sighed. “What am I supposed to do all day?”

“Whatever you normally do will probably suffice.”

“Normally I travel!”

“Didn’t you say you missed exploring caves?”

Casey opened xir mouth to protest, thought about spelunking until midnight, and closed it. “Okay, two things. Are there any nice, big systems around us? And do you wanna come with me? Exploring’s more fun with a buddy.”

“The cave you slept in last night leads to a pretty sizeable system. And while I won’t be _ with _ you exactly, I’ll be . . . _ around, _” he smiled slyly. “I always forget, are humans fireproof or not?”

“We are _ not _ fireproof. Gonna be honest, that question combined with that smile makes me a _ little _ nervous.”

“Aw, you get nervous when I smile? I’m flattered.”

“I get nervous when you imply that you’re gonna literally set me on fire.”

Herobrine laughed. “See you around, human.”

With that, he hissed a quick phrase under his breath and winked out of existence.

Casey stared at the space where he’d been for a long moment before shaking xir head and heading back to the buried chest to find some torches.

_ He’s a strange one. At least he’s not boring. _

_ Did you expect normalcy when you summoned an infamous beast from a space beyond reality? _

_ Hey, I’m not complaining. Just pointing it out. _

Xe pulled on xir armor, hoping there was plenty of iron in the caves below. Xir trusty armor was in _ desperate _ need of repairs. At least xir tools were in much better shape. Xe packed a sword, a bow with plenty of arrows, a shovel, and three pickaxes. One could never have too many pickaxes. Or too many torches, for that matter.

Satisfied with xir preparations, xe returned to the cave entrance and began xir descent into the earth.

The cave was wonderful.

Just beyond the cavern where xe’d last slept, Casey was faced with two tunnels, each leading in a separate direction. The right one spiraled deep into the ground and then, disappointingly, just stopped. Xe backtracked to the original fork and tried the left tunnel.

This one branched off multiple times, giving xem plenty to explore. 

One passage led to a dense vein of iron, which xe eagerly mined out of the rock. Another _ appeared _ to end abruptly, but xe spotted a narrow crevice and managed to squeeze through. The claustrophobic passage soon widened into a spacious tunnel that slanted down at a steep angle. Carefully, xe picked xir way down the unforgiving slope. Xe could see warm light at the bottom.

It led right into an immense ravine. The light xe’d seen was the copious amounts of lava at the bottom of the crevasse. If the ravine were a house, the tunnel Casey was in was an air vent that went through the ceiling.

Very carefully, xe built a narrow, wooden catwalk that led to a flat ledge on the nearest ravine wall. Once xir feet were on solid stone, xe placed a few more torches and really took stock of the environment.

The ravine was really, _ really _ big. It was so long that xe couldn’t quite make out the ends. It was wide too, wide enough for an entire house to be built between its walls. Huge stalactites dangled from the ceiling, catching the lava’s light in eerie ways. In the rocky walls, numerous ores glinted like tiny constellations in a stone sky. At least six other tunnels, possibly from different cave systems, all connected to this ravine. Xe glimpsed a few night beasts, milling about on flat ledges rather like the one xe was standing on. Luckily, xe didn’t see anything that carried a ranged weapon. 

Xe stood there for a long moment, observing the majestic scene with quiet awe.

Then, something near the lava’s edge caught xir eye.

Painted on the stone wall that the lava lapped at, was a large black arrow, pointing down. Casey tilted xir head curiously, and saw something sparkle beneath the arrow’s point.

Whether it was a helpful message written by travelers long ago, or an obvious trap, xe was going to check it out. Xe began building a long staircase out of planks, leading all the way down to an outcropping much further down. It was much hotter on the second ledge, so close to the lava.

Up close, xe could see two very important things.

One, the arrow had been _ very _ freshly painted. The drips of black dye making their way down the rock — they were still moving. Still liquid.

Two, the arrow pointed to a patch of glittering diamond ore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh YES I've been waiting to write this one! What do you think of Herobrine teaching Casey to fight? I've had that idea in my head for AGES. It was great to finally write it down!
> 
> EDIT: changed a few things near the beginning to stay consistent with an edit I made on the previous chapter
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	14. Sparring and Spelunking and Also A Spa

Casey had never actually seen diamond ore in real life. People with diamond gear, sure. Detailed illustrations in books, definitely. But actual, uncut, in-some-rock-over-a-lava-pit diamonds right there, real and tangible? Never.

They were beautiful.

In the lava’s warm-toned light, they appeared to be a lovely shade of cool green. They sparkled and flashed and occasionally glinted bright gold as the lava bubbled below.

Xe finally understood why the mighty mineral was so passionately, sometimes violently, sought after. Just looking at the glittering ore brought to mind visions of all the things xe could do with it . . . xe could make an enchanting table and steep all xir tools in arcane power . . . xe could make a sword that would slice through anything and never break . . . xe could fashion nigh-invincible armor for xemself . . . xe could craft a pickaxe that could crack even obsidian . . .

Casey usually preferred planks when building impromptu pathways because of how fast one could place them, but xe didn’t want a repeat of the burning bridge debacle in the lava corridor of the ancient library. This time, xe’d use cobblestone. It made the process a little more tedious, yeah, but it also made it significantly more fireproof.

Xe reached the other side of the lava without problem, but didn’t start mining yet. Xe hadn’t come all this way just for a misplaced strike to scatter the precious stones into the lava below. No, xe could build a little more. Xe used more cobblestone to make a little platform for xemself to stand on, and for the diamonds to fall onto. Xe even added a little wall around the perimeter, just in case it was a trap. If xe dug out a diamond and the wall immediately exploded, xe would have something to stop the blast from hurtling xem straight into the deadly lava.

Finally satisfied, Casey looked around one last time. No creepers waiting overhead, poised to jump down. No lava lurkers poking at the edge of xir platform. Xe was safe.

Yet xe hesitated. What was xe  _ doing? _ Following a massive, suspicious, freshly-painted black arrow? It  _ had _ to be a trap! What had Herobrine said before ominously vanishing? That he’d be “around”. What was he known for? Traps!

“Herobrine?” xe called, xir voice echoing in the vast ravine. “Is this your doing?”

There was no response, of course.

Xe glanced back at the diamond. Just like that, xe was enthralled once again. Even if it was a trap, that was a risk xe was willing to take. Xe hefted xir trusty pickaxe and swung at the ore. 

Once, twice, three times. The stone shattered beneath xir pick, and one glimmering, radiant diamond dropped to the cobblestone floor with a  _ clink. _

Xe dropped to xir knees and scooped it up. It was about the size of xir first, and it was cool against xir palms. With xir body blocking the lava-light, xe could see its true color; a beautiful, shimmering cyan. Countless facets and hidden depths twinkled and sparkled as xe tilted it in xir hands.

Xe carefully tucked it away in xir inventory pack. Xe didn’t want anything happening to the rare jewel. Then, xe ducked to check behind where the ore had been.

Sure enough, there was another diamond embedded in the rock there. Xe grinned and swung xir pickaxe. The stone broke apart, revealing the shining gem within.

And, revealing open space behind.

Casey snatched up the diamond and dropped it into xir pack. Goods secured, xe went prone and peered into the darkness beyond. Xe couldn’t hear any night beasts prowling or redstone contraptions working.

Curiosity overwhelmed xem, and xe crawled on xir belly into the tiny shaft xe’d carved out. After only a few meters of uncomfortable army-crawling, it widened into a large tunnel. Xe clambered out and stood up, stretching.

It appeared to just be a regular cave. But it seemed suspicious that the diamond ore with a huge black arrow pointing to it just  _ happened _ to lead to another cave system.

Xe planted a torch on the ground to prevent night monsters from manifesting, and began down the stony tunnel. Gold and redstone glowed in the light of xir outstretched torch.

It didn’t take long for xem to realize that it wasn’t a normal cave.

Casey tripped on a protruding pebble and heard pistons fire. Xe leapt backward, heart racing. Several meters ahead of xem, the walls of the tunnel rumbled and crashed together with a solid, reverberating  _ BOOM! _ Then, just as fast, they retreated and the cave returned to normal.

Xe squatted to peer at the ground. It hadn’t been a pebble xe’d tripped on, but a tripwire. Cautiously, xe stepped on it again. Once more the pistons extended and the walls came together, and once more they slid apart.

The weird thing was, the sections that actually moved were quite far from the tripwire. Too far. Even if xe’d triggered it while running at full speed, xe wouldn’t reach that part of the tunnel in time to be crushed.

_ Rookie mistake. Or is it supposed to be intimidating rather than lethal? You’d think they’d really want to get it right if so. Nothing intimidating about faulty redstone. _

Xe stepped over the tripwire and forged on.

A little bit further in, xe discovered a tripwire that activated a rapid-fire dispenser filled with arrows. But, the dispenser had been placed way too high to hit even the tallest human. And endermen would just teleport out of the way.

A little after that, xe found a pressure plate that pulled the floor away to reveal a deadly drop. It’d be quite a cunning trap, if it worked correctly. Only one half of the floor actually ended up moving, leaving the other half perfectly fine and traversable.

Xe came to the conclusion that this cave had been rigged by someone very, very new to redstone. None of the traps worked quite right, and all because of stupid mistakes only a beginner could make.

Casey smiled when the row of signs on the wall came into view. Xe was rather eager to see what the mystery redstonist had to say.

The words had been scrawled in the tiniest handwriting xe’d ever seen, forcing xem to get right next to each sign.

_ Congratulations on passing through the Deadly Trials! You’ve performed admirably! _ declared the first sign.

_ I’m sure you have many questions, and they’ll all be answered. But first, I must ask you something, _ continued the second.

Xe advanced to the third sign, leaning in close to read the tiny letters. The gravel ground crunched beneath xem as xe shifted.

_ How’s that false sense of security feel? _ asked the final sign.

“No,” xe said, disbelieving.

Xe heard a pufferfish expand nearby, and then all hell broke loose.

First, stone walls slammed down on both the entrance and exit to the room. Xe was trapped.

Then, what sounded like hundreds of pistons activated in unison, stabbing xir ears with the deafening noise. Parts of the walls and ceiling were quickly pulled aside, revealing dozens of dispensers, black maws open to fire.

Casey glanced around frantically, looking for a spot in the room where the arrows would miss. The dispensers had been placed in such a way that they filled in the areas missed by the others.

There! Near the corner!

Xe darted over, and just in time. In that moment, each one fired at once. For a split second, the room was so filled with arrows the very air looked black. Then, just like that, it was over. Xir little safe spot hadn’t failed xem, and evidently the dispensers had only been rigged to fire once.

The pistons shifted with a terrible cacophony once again, and the dispensers disappeared. The room looked like a normal room once again. 

Then something below the floor exploded. 

Xe shrieked. It shook the room and knocked xem back. Wisps of thick smoke rose from the floor, filling the room with the scent of gunpowder and dust.

For a moment, there was only the sound of xir heavy breathing.

Rock scraped rock. A few pebbled clattered. 

And the floor began to crumble.

Casey screamed for the second time, pressing xemself against the wall. The rumbling grew louder and louder as more of the floor began to fall. Xe scanned the room quickly, desperately, but the gravel extended to the walls. There was nowhere to run.

Xe felt the gravel below xem shift. Xir right foot sank half a meter.

Then it deteriorated entirely, dropping xem into blackness. Xe tumbled through dark nothingness, falling much faster than the nearby pebbles. During the entire fall, xe didn’t make a sound. Xir jaw was clenched and xir teeth bared.

Xe yelped when xe hit the water, though. Immediately, xe clawed upward and broke the surface, spitting out water and coughing. Tiny rocks rained down around xem, landing in the water with little splashes.

Xe flailed in the darkness and whacked xir elbow painfully on a ledge. Cradling xir throbbing elbow, xe felt around with xir other arm and found a flat, horizontal surface. Xe hoisted xemself out of the water and collapsed on the stone floor, gasping for breath. Xe laid there for a good few minutes, dripping onto the stone and trying to regulate xir breathing.

Finally, xe sat up, groaning. Casey wiped water from xir face and took stock of the situation.

Despite the scare, xe seemed to be unharmed. Xe still had xir armor and tools, and of course the two shining diamonds. Other than a few bruises from colliding with pebbles while approaching terminal velocity, xe was fine.

Xe tugged a torch from xir pack and scraped it quickly on the rough stone floor to light it. The flickering torchlight illuminated another cave tunnel that appeared natural and normal. Behind xem, the pool of water — now half-filled with gravel — reflected the torch’s glow. Before xem, the tunnel continued on for quite a few meters before making a sharp right. Xe could make out a few clusters of phosphorescent mushrooms ahead.

Xe  _ could _ stack cobblestone into a tall, precarious tower to get out of the pit. But xe’d still need to mine xir way out of the room, and there was always the chance that xe’d trigger the pufferfish again and the dispensers would fill them full of arrows.

Or, xe could continue forward. Find out what all this was about. Maybe even confront the person who made this and sock them in the windpipe. Xe suspected Herobrine was behind it, but that didn’t faze xem. Casey was willing to sock a supernatural creature of unfathomable power in the windpipe if they deserved it.

There wasn’t really a choice in xir mind. Xe shook droplets of moisture from xir hair and continued on.

After all the cacophony of the pistons and dispensers and gravel falling, this peaceful tunnel seemed weirdly quiet. But xe didn’t walk far before that changed. Xe could hear something ahead, distorted by distance. Xe paused, ears cocked.

It was the unmistakable noise of rushing water. Intrigued, xe picked up the pace. Quickly, xe turned the corner— and stopped dead. Xir jaw dropped.

Before xem was the most beautiful cavern xe’d ever seen.

Mica streaked the floor, glittering when xe tilted xir head. The room was dominated by a round, spacious pool of water, fed by a stream that fell two meters into the pond. That was the source of the rushing-water noise. Large, glowing crystals in various shades of light blue protruded from the floor in the pool, making the water itself appear to glow. In the left corner of the room, a tiny pocket of lava bubbled. It warmed the whole room.

Casey was so accustomed to laval pools  _ not _ have people in them that the first time xe glanced at it, xe didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. A second later, xe did a double take and peered closer at it.

“Welcome!” Herobrine greeted. “Did you enjoy your trip?”

Xe stared at him, uncomprehending. Most of his body was in the lava, except for his arms and head. His bare arms were folded on the sparkling rock before him, and his head tilted to talk to xem. Xe spotted a pile of fabric next to the pool and suspected it was his clothes.

“You’re. In. The lava,” xe said slowly.

“Incredible! What a masterful use of the eyes!”

“How. Are you in the lava?”

“Short answer: by getting in it. Long answer: by customizing my cosmic classification to make it so I’m completely fireproof  _ and _ unaffected by extreme temperatures.”

“Of course. As ya do,” xe said dryly. “Did you say something about ‘enjoying the trip’?”

“I did.”

“Did you, by chance, happen to build the traps upstairs?

“I did!” he beamed proudly. “What’d you think of the surprise competence? It’s one of my favorite tricks. Nothing quite like lulling someone into a false sense of security only to shatter it.”

Casey stared at him for a long moment. He seemed to be genuinely pleased. “Why?”

“I like building traps. And it gave you an adventure. What’s more fun than investigating and discovering and even finding a surprise at the end?”

“Attempts on my life aren’t the most fun for me.”

“Ex _ -cuse _ me? It wasn’t life-threatening at all! I very carefully made it completely non-lethal!” he protested, indignant. “Do you  _ know _ how tempting it was to add a rapid-fire circuit to the dispensers? Or open the wall to the nearby dungeon after the arrows fired, releasing a bunch of undead? I didn’t even add any lava features!”

Xe sighed. “Why did you lead me here?”

“We’re supposed to rest today, and what better way to relax than take a spa day?” he gestured to the pond. “I even remembered that your species can’t swim in lava, so I found a water pool instead.”

Xe glanced between him and the pool of glowing water, temptation rising. Xe hadn’t had the chance to wash off in . . . an embarrassingly long time. Ever since entering the desert, xe’d been covered in sweat and sand. There was sand in places xe didn’t even know xe had.

Casey made up xir mind and shrugged off xir pack. “Weird question: Do you mind nudity?”

“Pretty indifferent to it.”

“Cool,” xe replied and stripped down right there. Xe piled xir clothes next to xir pack, taking care to put xir precious bracelet on top, and waded into the pool. The water was cool, but not unpleasantly so. Due to the angle of the natural formations around the pool, most of it was actually out of sight from the view of someone in the lava pocket.

“You’re a very strange human, you know that?”

“Wow, I hadn’t noticed,” xe deadpanned, rolling xir eyes. “I can’t believe you’re the first person ever to inform me.”

“See! Right there! You don’t seem scared of me at all.”

“Do you want me to be?”

Herobrine didn’t reply for a long moment, long enough that xe waded close to the water’s edge to look at him.

“No, I don’t,” he finally decided.

“I’m  _ wary _ of you,” Casey offered. “Because you’re a lot stronger than me in a number of ways. But I’m not really  _ scared _ of you. I’m not afraid to, I dunno, ‘talk back’ or whatever. And let me tell ya, if it comes down to ‘don’t talk back or die’ situation, I think I’d literally rather die.”

He laughed. “I don’t think that situation will ever happen. ‘Talking back’ is way better than blind devotion.”

“Really? That’s not what I would expect.”

“Yeah, see, it turns out blind devotion is  _ really fucking boring. _ No one offers you any ideas of their own, or ever disagrees with you, not even for a great bit.”

“So you’re saying blind devotion makes for really bad improv?” xe laughed, then sobered. “I bet it’s dangerous too. If you have a terrible idea that could fuck up a lot of things, no one would tell you, and then a lot of things would get fucked up.”

“ _ Yes! _ These idiots call themselves advisors, and then they just go along with everything I say! Like,  _ hello? _ You’re not advising anything!”

“Oh, what a terrible predicament. The supernatural creature of nearly-unlimited power can’t find himself a good advisor. How awful.”

“Hm, good point. It does sound a little entitled when you say it like that. See—”

“Hold that thought,” xe interrupted. “I need to wash my hair and I won’t be able to hear you.”

He waited patiently as xe stuck xir head in the waterfall.

Hair rinsed, xe backed out of the waterfall and shook xir head wildly, spraying droplets everywhere. “Right, go on.”

“See, that’s what I mean. If I say something ridiculous — or in this case, entitled — you just point it out.  _ You _ would be a good advisor.”

“To be fair, I was also the one who suggested making the multi-directional TNT-cannon thing. Not sure that’s something a good advisor should really encourage.”

“You’re right. That’s something a  _ great _ advisor would encourage!” xe could hear the sly grin in his voice.

Casey snatched xir clothes and dunked them in the water. “Subject change here, you don’t happen to have any soap, do you?”

Herobrine didn’t respond at first, and xe peered around a rock formation to make sure he’d heard. Just in time for a fresh bar of soap to nail xem between the eyes.

“Thanks,” xe monotoned, and disappeared behind the formation once again.

The two fell into companionable silence as xe scrubbed at xir clothes, and then at xir body. Finally, xe wrung out xir clean clothes and set them near the lava pool to dry completely. Clean at last, xe truly relaxed. Xe floated on xir back in the water and closed xir eyes. The soft roar of the nearby waterfall and faint gurgle of the bubbling lava pocket were peaceful and comforting.

Xe floated aimlessly for a good long while, in a near-meditative state. All the stress and fear and anxiety of the past few days seemed to seep out of xem. Xe felt at peace.

A question occurred to xem suddenly, as xe bobbed gently in the water.

“Hey, Herobrine? What’s it like to fly?” Xir voice seemed oddly loud after the long period of nothing but natural white noise.

“Exhilarating. Empowering. Liberating. There’s this sense of . . . of wonder and freedom, that you get every time you look down and see the trees far below you. It’s beautiful.”

“It _ sounds _ beautiful,” Casey murmured. Xe’d always wanted to fly, for as long as xe could remember. His descriptions of it only strengthened the fascination.

“Y’know, it’s almost midnight.”

“Already? I need to get to bed. Wait, how am I gonna get back to that cave room I slept in last night? I didn’t see a stairway in that pitfall trap.”

“Put some clothes on, and I’ll show you.”

“There  _ is _ a stairway?” xe frowned, but he didn’t reply. Xe stepped out of the pool, dripping water onto the stone floor, and pulled a towel out of xir pack. Xe dried off quickly and pulled on xir clothes, wincing at their dampness. The lava had heated them up without really drying much at all.

Herobrine was floating near the cavern entrance, arms folded impatiently. Xe pulled on xir treasured braided bracelet and trotted towards him. He led xem through the gloomy tunnel, back to the deep pit with now-gravelly water at the bottom.

“I don’t see any way up there,” xe pointed out.

“Really? I’m right here,” he scoffed.

And that was the only warning he gave before scooping xem up bridal-style and leaping into the air. Casey yelped, more from shock than fear, and flung xir arms around his neck. He shot straight up, fast enough for xir stomach to drop. Xe watched in sheer amazement as just like that, the upper rim of the pit came into view. Quickly, xe stole a glance down and shivered involuntarily. The murky pool was very far below xem, and there was nothing between it and xem. It was both exciting and unsettling.

Herobrine set xem down on the stone ground and xir knees nearly gave out.

“Whoa,” xe laughed shakily. “I . . . wow. That’s definitely one way of getting out of a pit.”

“The best way,” he corrected cheekily.

“Is it weird that I just wanna do that again?”

“Not tonight, human. Later.”

Xe nodded. “Also, wasn’t this room closed off before?”

“The doors were programmed to re-open automatically soon after the gravel dropped.”

“Ah. How’d you manage that anyways?”

He launched into a technical explanation, and the two of them discussed redstone all the way back to the cave where xir bedroll was still spread out. To xir surprise, xe found xemself . . . disappointed. Despite xir growing exhaustion, xe wanted to keep talking with him.

“Oh, I meant to do this last night,” Herobrine remarked, and hissed something under his breath. Immediately a bed materialized against the wall. A real, solid bed, with a mattress and wooden frame and red comforter.

“A real bed,” xe whispered, eyes wide. Xe flopped onto the bed at once, marveling at its softness. “Wait, don’t you want one too?”

He shrugged and rose so his head brushed the ceiling. “I can just sleep in the air.”

“Is that . . . comfortable?” xe frowned. “How do you sleep without a nice warm blanket?”

He stared at xem for a long moment through narrowed eyes. Xe stared back, not quite sure why they were looking at each other but rolling with it. Finally, he sighed and dropped to the floor. One harsh phrase later, there was another red-blanketed bed next to xirs. “Happy?”

Xe smiled. “Good night, Herobrine.”

“Good night, hu— Casey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bleughhhh I feel like this one starts off really strong and ends really weak. At least writing about all those traps was fun!
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	15. Enjoyable Travel

It took them about a week to reach the cave system.

They fell into a simple routine quickly. Herobrine would wake Casey up around dawn, one of them would make breakfast, they’d spar for a couple hours, then get on the road. At noon, they’d stop for lunch. When the sun neared the Western horizon, xe would build a slapdash little hut or take shelter in a nearby cave, and they’d eat supper. They traveled on a 3-day/1-day cycle, walking (or floating) for three days then resting for one.

Casey argued that the rest day just wasted precious time, but Herobrine shot xem down.

“If you keep it up, you’re not gonna last long enough to reunite with your friends,” he had looked xem right in the eye, and xe’d shrunk under his piercing gaze. “I don’t know why you’re so hellbent on destroying yourself, but I’m not going to let you.”

Xe had shut up after that.

On rest days, Casey slept in, explored the area or the caves below, and washed off in nearby streams or ponds. Herobrine tended to vanish early in the day, and xe didn’t know what he was up while xe explored. Judging by the way he randomly appeared just to tell xem  _ not _ to go down a certain path, probably something nefarious.

Slowly, they grew closer and closer to something like friends. They talked comfortably with each other, discussing various topics and cracking jokes at the other’s expense. One of Casey’s favorite parts of the day was the late evening, when they were both in bed but neither was asleep. They’d stay awake for hours, just talking.

But then there were moments where the harmony was broken and suddenly they were awkward strangers around each other. Herobrine still declined every invitation to play cards or a board game, and xe still pretended xe didn’t mind. Once, while sparring, he tried to rile xem up by making some rude joke about xir friends, and xe’d completely lost it. It was actually a bit of a blur for xem, but he told xem later that xe’d thrown down xir sword and tackled him head-on, throwing punches and biting at him like there was no tomorrow. Startled, he reacted out of instinct and sank his teeth into the spot between xir shoulder and neck. 

An hour later, xe woke up in xir bed with a very sheepish Herobrine floating nearby. And that’s how Casey found out he had sedative venom in his fangs. Naturally, xe thought it was the coolest thing ever, and they made up quickly, but it was still a little awkward for the next couple days.

It went both ways of course. Very late at night, when sleep-deprivation had robbed xem of xir filters, xe asked Herobrine if there was any validity to the claim that some little girl had gone missing just before he appeared.

He’d flinched like xe’d hit him, eyes flashing, and when he spoke his tone was flat and cold. “It was a little  _ boy. _ And that’s a story for another time.”

Then neither of them brought it up again.

But despite the uncomfortable moments, most of the trip was quite pleasant. They only traveled a day and a half in the desert before reaching a beautiful flower forest. Casey was so relieved to see trees again, xe spent the first ten minutes in the forest hugging every trunk xe could get xir hands on. Xe hadn’t even realized how much xe’d missed them.

The trees provided cool, sun-dappled shade, a welcome relief from the merciless heat and light of the desert. The air smelled wild and green. Clearings brimming with colorful sunlit blooms looked like something out of a storybook. Xe felt almost at home. Well, as much as xe could without xir friends there.

Casey picked fresh flowers every day, weaving them the way a friend had taught xem, and by evening xe always had a new flower crown. Xe made one for Herobrine too, who (very reluctantly) put it on and managed to keep it on for the whole day. That night however, he couldn’t resist setting it on fire. Xe didn’t take it personally. He set a lot of things on fire.

Birds fluttered between the branches overhead, and large, friendly bees buzzed between flowers. Several times, Casey caught Herobrine sitting cross-legged just half a meter off the ground, watching the robins and sparrows and bees with an expression of entranced wonder. It was an expression xe rarely saw, because he quickly changed it to his usual faintly-displeased neutrality the moment he sensed xem.

“This world is a lot fuller than it was when I left,” he told xem once before falling asleep.

Casey wondered about that a lot. Suddenly coming back to a world that was sixty-six years older than when you’d left had to do some weird shit to your psyche. Xe was also desperately curious about the Place Beyond the Void. But, xe was pretty sure Herobrine had nightmares about it, so xe never brought it up. He woke xem up in the middle of the night once, freaking the hell out of xem.

“How long has it been?” he’d cried, eyes wide and too bright to look at.

“Since what?” xe mumbled, still half-asleep.

“Since I left this world!”

“Left  _ this world? _ What are you talking about? You’ve been here, dude. We’ve been traveling together for quite a few days now.” Xe rubbed one eye and actually looked at him. His eyes were blinding and his chest heaving. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Of course — it was just — I’m so — I’m fine,” he blurted, and promptly vanished.

Confused and concerned, but not nearly conscious enough, xe fell back asleep. He appeared a little on edge the next morning, but neither of them pointed it out, and neither of them mentioned the strange incident.

A lot of their antics, both good and bad, seemed to happen at night.

On one of the last days of the journey, Casey just could  _ not _ fall asleep. Xe tossed and turned futilely in xir bed for what felt like hours. Suddenly, xe had heard the unmistakable noise of xir bedside chest opening. Xe snatched xir trusty dagger from its place beneath xir pillow and leapt at the thief without hesitation. They both fell to the ground, with xem on top, dagger raised.

“You sleep with a knife?” Herobrine had asked from beneath xem.

“What are you doing?” xe cried, springing off him.

He sat up and glanced down, and his eyes illuminated dozens of redstone components that had been scattered to the ground when Casey knocked him down. “What do  _ you _ think?”

“Were you  _ stealing _ my— you could have just asked! I would have let you use them!”

“I wasn’t stealing them! I just wanted to build a few . . . things. But you were asleep so I couldn’t ask, so I was just gonna borrow them and return them before you woke up.”

“Traps, you mean. You wanted to build lethal traps.”

“. . . Yes.”

“Can I come? I can’t sleep anyways.”

His eyes flickered for a moment, then he nodded. Xe pulled on leggings and a sweatshirt and followed him deeper into the cave system.

Watching Herobrine build traps turned out to be very entertaining. He worked with impressive speed and efficiency, and seemed to have almost a sixth sense for redstone. Multiple times he had paused and darted back to correct a mistake xe hadn’t even noticed. He kept up a lively stream of chatter as he worked, though for his own benefit or Casey’s, xe couldn’t tell.

He appeared genuinely happy, even  _ enthusiastic, _ as well, which xe didn’t see very often. Most of the time he came off as either vaguely bored, or pleased but in a very smug, smirky way. But here, he seemed truly content, working quickly with an unusual lack of barbed comments, and talking about whatever part he was working on almost  _ eagerly. _ It filled xem with a warm, cozy feeling that reminded xem of xir friends, but not in a painful way.

Xe had even learned a little bit about trap-building. And by the time he was done and had tested it (and lost his shit when it worked correctly, which was honestly kind of endearing) and needed to take it apart to return the redstone components, xe was starting to doze off. Casey had stumbled back to bed and, to xir delight, fallen asleep instantly. It’d been a pretty great experience overall.

Then there was sparring, which xe was honestly starting to enjoy. The first few days had been  _ awful. _ Herobrine effortlessly destroyed xem every time. Eventually, Casey had snapped and given up.

“Enough!” xe had shouted, throwing down xir sword. “I’m never gonna be good at this! There’s no point in trying!”

Xe’d turned and stalked off to the shelter. The moment xe closed the door of course, Herobrine appeared in the shelter with xem.

“You’ve been training for about three days,” he’d said mildly. “Against someone who’s been fighting for years and who’s speed and strength is  _ literally _ beyond human. I think it’s a  _ little  _ early to decide that you’re never gonna get good at it.”

Casey folded xir arms and looked away.

“And,” he continued. “It’s not like your two options are ‘useless’ or ‘perfect’. Sure, maybe you won’t ever get good at fighting. But having even the smallest skill in it definitely beats having nothing at all.”

Xe glared at the wall of the shelter and didn’t answer.

“Casey. Look at me.”

Xe hunched xir shoulders and looked at him.

“The point of training isn’t so you can beat me. The point is for you to  _ learn _ , specifically for you to learn how to not die. Mistakes teach you a lot more than success does. Failing now will literally save your life later.”

“Really?” Casey had complained. “You have to be good at fighting  _ and _ have some good life advice? This is bullshit. Pick one.”

He had flashed xem a grin. “We’ll train more tomorrow. Let’s get going.”

But after that, it had started being actually fun. It was a very satisfying physical activity, and quite frankly, Casey was so touch-starved that xe was just glad to be interacting with a tangible person, even if those interactions were xem getting xir ass handed to xem.

Herobrine got very good at sensing when continuing a session would do more harm than good, and always called it quits before then. Xe was perpetually covered by bruises and scratches, but never any lasting harm. Xe didn’t mind the minor injuries. It was nothing worse than what xe’d experienced traveling solo.

Casey hadn’t realized how awful traveling solo had been either. With eight hours of sleep and regular baths and three good meals a day, xe found xemself much happier and more confident. Suddenly, the idea of finding xir friends seemed real and attainable. All physical activity seemed much easier.

Xe brought up the curious phenomena to Herobrine once, who patiently explained that after living off carrots and bread for so long, xe was most likely malnourished or bordering on it.

“I suppose that makes sense,” xe’d agreed. “Probably didn’t help that I was running on like four hours of sleep a night.”

He had stared at xem for a long moment before shaking his head with a sigh. “And you still managed to gather the resources for and build a summoning circle that opens a rift in the material plane. No wonder they visited you in real life. It’s a wonder you’re alive at all.”

By the time they reached the cave system, Casey was almost disappointed. Xe had started to quite like traveling with Herobrine. The little routine they had was simple and satisfying, and xe didn’t want their next power-restoring endeavor to change anything about that. Xe didn’t want another awkward situation to reveal xir incompetence.

But at the same time, xe was rather excited. While the infiltration of the catacombs had been stressful and terrifying, it had also been weirdly . . .  _ fulfilling _ . Despite the bad experience of last time, xe was looking forward to the next adventure.

Xe’d asked about it numerous times on the journey there. Herobrine had explained that it was an unusually large, complicated, and beautiful cave system, one he had repurposed into a lair of sorts. It was filled with traps and treasure. Xe could tell from the way he talked about it that he was very proud of it. While it was quite remote and got few visitors, those who did visit were fascinated by it. Multiple humans had teamed up on multiple occasions to try and map out the whole thing, but none had succeeded.

“That may have changed in the past sixty-six years,” he warned. “We might get there and it’s been plundered beyond belief.”

Either way, Casey was sure it was going to be interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh god I'm so tired of travel montages. at least it's over now. hope y'all liked seeing little snippets of their journey! slowly but surely, they're gettin' to know each other!
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	16. Snitch

Humanity had developed and spread their influence a _ lot _ in the past sixty-six years. The desert town that Herobrine and Casey had visited wasn’t nearly as primitive as Herobrine believed, and not nearly as remote as Casey had hoped.

The captain Herobrine had poisoned and then knocked out, the one Casey mentally referred to as “Gruff-Voice” was quite a good captain. After waking up in an alleyway, unsure of how exactly he’d gotten there, he did what any reasonable person would do: he took that shit to his superiors. _ He _ wasn’t getting paid enough to figure it out. He told his boss everything he remembered, his boss told their boss, and eventually it found its way to the mayor.

Unfortunately for Herobrine and Casey, the mayor was _ also _ quite competent. He called for a meeting with multiple high-ranking officers from multiple branches of the town’s police force. They talked and brought up new points of view and cross-referenced information and talked a little more. The black ops manager mentioned an extraordinarily strange rumor circulating the catacombs. The gruff-voiced captain explained everything he remembered for the second time.

Finally, they came to the conclusion that _ none _ of them were getting paid enough to figure it out, and decided to contact someone who was. The desert town, like all in their kingdom, was connected to the capital by a stream of way-stations where couriers could drop off an exhausted horse and keep riding on a fresh one.

Needless to say, the courier made it to the capital in record time.

Erator Ellen walked the opulent halls of the Soaring Palace with confidence. Her footsteps echoed in the spacious corridor, proudly announcing her approach. This was where she belonged. Surrounded by riches and friends, towering over the rabble. She made her way through the palace quickly and easily. She had somewhere to be.

Though Ellen, like all the Erators, was quite used to the splendor of the Soaring Palace, it would have blown any normal person away. Each section of it had a different aesthetic, but all of them utilized copious amounts of rare and precious resources. Right now, she was in the area where Erators discussed important problems or made big decisions. The floor was tiled with sparkling lapis lazuli and shining gold. The clean white walls of smooth quartz were inlaid with decorative swirls of redstone, obsidian, and gold. It oozed wealth and power.

She entered a large, circular room with a high dome ceiling. An elaborate chandelier of sea lanterns and diamonds hung from the dome’s peak. Here, the floor was a slightly subtler blend of lapis lazuli and obsidian, and the walls were decorated with countless small chips of gold. A vast table of beautiful dark oak wood (inlaid with gold at the center, of course) dominated the room.

The central conference room. She’d managed to gather most of the Erators in one place for this, which was quite a rare event.

“Afternoon, everyone,” she greeted. The other Erators responded in kind.

“Classic Ellen,” someone called. “Inviting us all here and then showing up late!”

The Erators chuckled, and Ellen was no exception.

“Well, I promise you, what I have to share is worth the wait.”

Oh, yes. She had their attention now.

“So! Let’s begin, well, at the beginning. A few days ago, did anyone notice a strange power surge?”

“There’s always strange surges,” another Erator objected. “I figured it was just Will hollowing out another mountain.”

“Of course. But even Will does _ try _ to record his uses of our abilities, and this one went unaccounted for. Now, did anyone look a little bit closer at it?”

Quite a few nodded.

“Then you noticed that it was a very strange spell. It’s not one we use very often, is it? No. It was an effect spell. A few, actually, used in relatively-rapid succession. And all of it, unaccounted for. Then, not long after this strange event, my assigned kingdom’s capital received an extremely strange letter from a desert town, on the outskirts of the kingdom. I’d like you all to hear it.”

She pulled the letter from a back pocket and cleared her throat.

_ Most Esteemed Erator, _

_ It has recently come to our attention that there is a large problem you may wish to observe. We believe it could blossom into a full-blown conspiracy if not taken care of soon. We beg you to inform the other Erators and discuss this issue. _

_ Just a few days ago, two people tried to escape our walls under the cover of night. One wore a blindfold, and both had been spotted around the town earlier that day. Our guards intercepted them while they tried to escape, but they proved to be . . . unexpectedly strong adversaries. The blindfolded one stabbed the other and tore off the blindfold to reveal empty, glowing white eyes. The white-eyed creature poisoned one guard by uttering a few words, and the other two ran for their lives. When the poisoned guard came to, both of them were gone. _

_ In addition, some very suspicious rumors have started circulating. There were a few who managed to catch a good look at the other person’s face. Short brown hair, brown eyes, pale skin, sharp chin. They match the description of a certain Casey Stepper, the very same who had such a large bounty placed on their head not long ago. A few eyewitnesses even described them as “looked a lot like that Casey Stepper guy”. _

_ The implications of this are quite dire. Please look into this issue at once. As always, we appreciate all that you Erators do for us. _

_ Best regards, _ _   
_ _ the city of Melagaza _

Erator Ellen set the letter down on the table and slid it to the person to her left, who picked it up and scanned it quickly.

“So they’re doing it after all,” one broke the shocked silence, shaking his head. “Unbelievable.”

“Did anyone really think she’d heed our warning?” scoffed another.

“Focus, people. It _ looks _ like Stepper has recruited an unauthorized Erator. Is that possible?” Ellen asked.

Several shook their heads.

“We’d know if there was another Erator. Whatever this thing is, it’s not one of us,” one explained. “And ‘empty, glowing eyes’? It’s possible it’s not even human.”

“Actually,” someone offered in a tremulous voice. “When my great-grandma was alive, she told all us grandkids about this superpowered, white-eyed monster that used to terrorize the land. A bunch of people banded together to get rid of it. Maybe it’s back.”

“Oh, come on. Next you’re gonna tell me dragons are real,” someone else sneered.

“Yeah. This whole thing’s probably fake. Some courier went rogue and they’re trying to start shit. Stepper’s probably still lost in the mountains,” another agreed.

“Actually, the letter has the signatures of many high-ranking officials in Melagaza, and they’ve been backed up by the king,” Ellen countered. “And what about the power surge? A lowly courier couldn’t have faked that, nor known about it.”

“The implications are too dangerous to ignore. We must operate under the assumption that the letter is completely factual, and that the power surge and letter are connected,” offered yet another.

Nods around the room.

“Right. Then, what should we do?” Ellen asked.

“Should . . . should we tell the Istrator?” one tried nervously.

“No! We can handle it!” she cried immediately.

“He might demote one of us again,” another whispered.

“It’s better for us to take care of it. We can’t risk that,” another agreed.

“Well, I think Nora’s right,” someone began. “My great-grandpa told me the same stories. My family knows ‘em.”

“Mine too,” nodded one.

“And mine,” admitted another.

“I say we scour the libraries for any mention of this creature. In the meantime, we look for Stepper,” Ellen decided. The Erators nodded in agreement.

“Should we put bounties on his/her head again?” someone asked.

“Not yet,” someone else answered. “We need to make sure it’s them first. If we go around sending mercenaries after them willy-nilly, they’ll think the deal’s off and they’ll just start wreaking havoc everywhere.”

“Looks like they’re gonna do that anyway,” another muttered.

“We don’t know it’s them,” yet another admonished. “We have to err on the side of caution.”

Ellen clapped her hands for attention. “Are we in agreement? We look for information on this creature, look for Stepper, and try to verify if this mystery person _ is _ Stepper. Right?”

Everyone nodded.

“I can use ghost form to find hidden libraries,” an Erator offered.

“I will too!”

“I can organize a team of scholars to help find relevant information.”

“Who wants to go after Stepper?”

“I dropped her off. I will.”

“I’ll come too!”

Suggestions flew thick and fast. Before long, the Erators had an efficient plan ready to be executed.

“We all know what to do?” Erator Ellen asked. Everyone nodded enthusiastically. “Good. Meeting adjourned.”

A courier raced into the town of Melagaza, carrying a response from the mighty Erators themselves. Nervous, the officials of the town read the letter quickly. They all let out a sigh of relief. It was out of their hands. It wasn’t their problem anymore.

A small team of Erators soared under grass and mountains and forests, deep underground. The solid stone around them passed through their immaterial bodies effortlessly. Using what they called “ghost form” they could easily see gaps in the solid ground around them. If there was a hidden library underground, they’d find it.

In multiple kingdoms and multiple libraries, teams of scholars devoured book after book. Diaries of those who lived sixty-six years ago, thick volumes on universe theory, nonfiction novels detailing the appearances and behavior of all kinds of monsters. To their surprise, they found conspicuous gaps in some of the smaller, more remote libraries. As if someone was hiding something from them. A few smarter scholars went out to find great-grandparents that were still alive and question them.

A few Erators flew out to the mountains where they’d first dropped Casey off after separating xem from xir friends. They combed the area carefully, even trying ghost form to see if xe was hiding underground somewhere. Then, they tried the surrounding area, and found a little village tucked away in a nearby spruce forest. The villagers there happily explained that yes, a human had passed through just a few weeks earlier, and they’d gone _ that _ way to investigate an old library, and they seemed really distraught, you’re going to help them right? The Erators reassured the villagers and continued on. They’d found a trail to follow.

And the universe watched. And the universe waited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A much shorter, but very necessary chapter! just a little reminder that there's a whole world going on around our main characters, a world that they maybe need to be a little more aware of. : )
> 
> speaking of reminders! I wanted to talk to you guys about something real quick. I just want to remind yall that I. Fucking. Love. Comments!!!! See, I don't know about you, but I'm someone who is constantly very afraid of being annoying. So if you're like me and you're thinking "well, I don't wanna bug them, I'm sure they'd just be irritated", I'm here to tell you, from one anxious person to another: I AM LITERALLY NEVER EVER BOTHERED BY COMMENTS. Quite the opposite! They make my DAY, dude!!! I love hearing what you guys think about my work! Comments are what keep me motivated to keep creating!!!
> 
> Anyways! That got long, but I really wanted to make it clear. thank you for reading I love you all
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	17. Deadly Caverns

They’d only been traveling for a couple hours — it wasn’t even lunchtime — when Herobrine gasped and fell out of the sky.

“I can feel it!” he exclaimed. “We’re close. Come on!”

He beckoned Casey impatiently and soared ahead. Xe reluctantly increased xir pace from a steady, sustainable plod to a speed-walk. Xe’d suffered an especially embarrassing defeat when sparring that morning, and xe was still sulking over it.

But it was hard to be upset for long. The sun was shining, the trees were swaying, the air smelled green, and Herobrine was uncharacteristically enthusiastic. It cheered xem up whether xe wanted it to or not. His excitement was contagious, and xe found xemself quite eager to explore this fabled cave.

“Oh wow,” he breathed, appearing next to xem and ignoring xir startled flails. “It feels just the way I left it. It hasn’t changed at all.”

“I can’t even see it,” xe remarked.

“Casey, this may surprise you, but most caves are underground! And — get ready for this — right now, we’re  _ above ground. _ ”

“No  _ way. _ Really? That’s crazy! I didn’t know that!”

The two of them grinned at each other, spirits high.

They really were close. Before long, Casey could make out a curious gap in the trees ahead. Then, xe could see the grass slope down into something, and finally xe saw that the slope led into a deep, steep-sided pit. Xe got as close as xe dared and peered cautiously into its depths. The pit was very, very wide, and deep too. Xe could see that near the bottom, the slope’s steepness lessened, and the end of the pit led into a tunnel that in turn led out of sight. Frankly, it was quite intimidating.

“Whoa,” xe said finally. “That’s a big pit.”

“Very observant!”

“Let me set up camp, and then we can explore.”

Xe worked fast, though not fast enough for Herobrine, who was impatient to be in the caves. Between two close-growing trees, xe built a little wooden shelter and plopped down xir bed and chest. In the chest, xe tucked away anything of value that xe didn’t want to lose. Next, xe pulled out xir worn armor and tugged it on. Finally, xe threw a few extra tools in xir pack and declared xemself ready.

“You can just summon us lunch, right?” xe asked. “I don’t want to have to pack food if I don’t need to.”

“Yes, I can. Let’s  _ go. _ ”

Casey walked to the edge and stared down into the cave entrance. It was more than a little daunting. “How am I gonna get down there?”

Herobrine hissed something under his breath. “Okay, jump in.”

“What? No!”

He rushed at xem and shoulder-slammed xem off the edge. Xe screamed as xe tumbled into thin air, then snapped xir mouth shut and braced xemself for impact. 

The impact never came.

Casey opened xir eyes and gasped. Xe was  _ flying! _

Well, not exactly. Xe was just floating, and xe was still going down. But xir descent was much,  _ much _ slower than it would have been under normal circumstances. Herobrine was right. There was an incredible sense of freedom and wonder looking down and seeing the ground so far below, and yet not feeling anything holding xem up.

Speaking of, he was already at the bottom of the pit, looking up at xem with arms folded impatiently. Xe waved cheerfully. Slowly, xe sank lower and lower in the air, and finally xe touched down on solid stone.

“What was that?” xe asked, amazed.

“Just a little slow-fall spell,” he answered smugly.

“Can I have that, just, for forever?”

“I don’t think ‘forever’ is within the limits of my powers.”

“Ughhh, you can’t even keep a spell going for eternity? What kinda rookie bullshit is this?” xe teased.

“C’mon,” he beckoned, ignoring xir teasing. “The cave awaits us.”

Casey lit a torch and hurried after him, the grumpiness from earlier that morning completely forgotten. Xe was eager to explore.

“So, what kind of traps are in here anyways?” xir voice echoed in the rocky tunnel.

“Everything. Pressure plates, tripwires, trapped chests, fake doors, chain reactions. Gravel ceilings, pitfalls, surprise lava, moving parkour, shifting walls, cleverly disguised dispensers, rooms full of monsters, flooding rooms, so on and so forth.”

“Oh.”

Xe fell silent, observing the cave around them. At first glance, it seemed like a regular cave. Stone tunnels, rock formations, veins of ore visible in the walls. But something about felt . . .  _ off. _ It had a weird  _ stillness _ to it. Most caves were pretty still, being made of solid rock and all, but that was more of an earthy sort of stability. This felt closer to the stillness of ambushers waiting to pounce.

Also, it was way too dark. Weirdly, unnaturally dark, like it was sucking up the light from xir torch. It  _ looked _ like it was still glowing brightly, but it was barely shedding enough light to see by on the cave around xem. Xe kept stumbling because xe couldn’t see the ground before xem.

“Um, your cave is eating my light,” xe called. “I can barely see.”

“Isn’t it great?,” Herobrine replied proudly. “More holes in the laws of physics here than almost anywhere else. Took me forever to figure out how to consistently absorb the light.”

“It’s . . . cool. But, seriously, I can’t see.”

He sighed and increased the glow of eyes until they clearly illuminated the cave. “Better?”

“Much. Thank you.”

They continued on in the eerie, colorless light of his eyes. Xe was used to the flickering, warm-toned flames of torches. This cold, unmoving light was quite off-putting by comparison. Plus, it really added to the ominous stillness of the whole cave.

Before long, they reached a fork. The tunnel split into two. One corridor twisted sharply to the right, and the other led down a steep incline.

“Which way’s the safer way?” Casey tried.

“That’s the beauty of this place,” Herobrine sighed dreamily. “There’s no safe way. It’s traps all the way down.”

“Yeah, that’s kinda what I thought you’d say. Which way do we go, then?”

“Hmmm, right-way leads to  _ that _ room, that’d be fun . . . Oooo, but left-way leads to  _ that _ room! Let’s go left.”

Xe followed him into the leftmost tunnel, feeling distinctly nervous. The corridor was cramped and sloped down at a steep angle. Xe wasn’t an especially claustrophobic person, but the tight space made xem a little panicky. Luckily, it soon widened into a tunnel very similar to the one they were just in.

Xe trotted forward a few steps to walk next to Herobrine, rather than behind him. Something to xir right caught xir eye. What looked like  _ gold ore _ glinted in the rocky wall. Were they already deep enough for gold?

“Whoops!” he grabbed Casey’s arm and pulled xem against him. “Don’t step there. We should be in single file for this.”

Xe fell in line behind him, nervously glancing at the spot where xe’d nearly stepped. “What was there?”

“The ceiling would move to drop a bunch of gravel on your head. Nothing lethal, but certainly painful. And annoying to clean up.”

“Are they all like that?” xe asked, referring to the “annoying to clean up” detail.

“Of course not. The near-lethal ones are just a lot further in,” he replied, referring to the “nothing lethal” part.

Casey rolled xir eyes, but didn’t say anything. From then on, xe followed Herobrine carefully, copying his movements exactly and without question. When he ducked, xe ducked too. When he stepped over a patch of stone that looked exactly the same as the floor around it, xe did too.

Before long, the temperature in the cave began to increase. Xe grew uncomfortably warm in xir sweatshirt. A faint bubbling reached xir ears.

Herobrine stopped suddenly and stepped aside, gesturing dramatically to the room beyond. Before xem stretched a long pool of lava, dotted with tiny stone platforms at random intervals. However, due to the “holes in the laws of physics” present here, it didn’t give off any light. It glowed, yes, but it didn’t illuminate the room around it. The little protruding platforms seemed black against the bright lava. Xe’d never seen anything like it.

“Oof, I don’t like this room. Last time I had to cross a long, narrow, man-made lava pool underground, it did  _ not _ go well,” xe remarked.

“When did you—”

“The underground library where I found out about you.”

“Ah. Well, you don’t need to worry about that this time. Stay here.”

With that, he got a running start and leapt onto the first platform, and from there onto the second. He moved with impressive speed and agility, and soon reached the other end. Xe could just barely make him out as he gave a theatrical bow.

And then the lava began to move. 

At first, it appeared to be rising, and Casey jumped backwards, terror burning in xir chest. Then, a dark patch appeared on its surface, and then another. Within seconds, it became recognizable. It was a stone bridge that had risen from the bottom of the pool. Bright lava dripped off it and evaporated on its surface.

“Hurry up!” Herobrine called. “It’ll retract soon!”

Xe sprinted across the bridge like xir life depended on it. Which, to be fair, it kinda did.

“How’d you do that anyway?” xe panted, out of breath.

“Activate the bridge?”

Xe nodded.

“Three of the platforms have pressure plates that, when pressed in a certain order, send a signal through a pulse extender and then through a bunch of pistons in the floor. The pistons push up, pushing the stone above them above the lava.”

“Cool,” xe said appreciatively.

From there, the corridor took a sharp left and sloped up at a steep angle. The natural ramp wasn’t very long however, and soon the ground returned to something vaguely horizontal. Countless stalagmites and stalactites dotted both floor and ceiling. The stalactites in particular had beautiful glowing tips in a shade of pale blue-green. For whatever reason, they actually shed light and illuminated the cave around them with cool, aqua light.

“Whoa . . .” Casey breathed, reaching to touch one. “The stalactites are so pretty.”

“Yeah,” Herobrine agreed. “Just don’t touch them.”

With impeccable comedic timing, it was at that moment that xir fingertips brushed a tiny, invisible filament hanging in the air. He stopped dead, head cocked. Xe pulled xir hands back, but it was too late. 

The ceiling began to rumble.

He snatched xir hand and started to run.

Xe stumbled at first, but his momentum saved xem. Xe had to sprint at full speed to keep up with him. Their footsteps echoed off the stone around them, filling the cave with rhythmic noise. Behind them, xe could hear terrible crashing and earth-shaking booms.

The tunnel narrowed to a claustrophobic crevice that Herobrine threw himself into without hesitation. He beckoned Casey urgently. Xe squeezed in beside him.

“Watch,” he whispered.

Xe twisted to look at the cave behind xem. To xir horror,  _ the ceiling was collapsing. _ Section after section dropped to the floor, until the last part of the ceiling slammed down just inches from xir nose with a thunderous crash.

Xe felt shifting from beside xem and turned to see him squirming out of the crevice. Xe inched after him and wormed free, finding xemself before another fork. A stream gushed from a wide crack in the wall and flowed down the rightmost tunnel.

“How are we gonna get back out?” xe asked, praying he didn’t hear the tremble in xir voice.

“The ceiling will rise eventually,” he shrugged. “Most of the environment-changing traps in this system aren’t permanent.”

“That’s good. Will the stalactites be okay?”

“Some of the longer ones probably got broken. But the glowy bits will grow back over time. Come along! Let’s try left again.”

Casey followed him, shaken.

Once again, when Herobrine avoided a certain area or ducked for no apparent reason, xe copied his movements exactly. Xe focused on following him precisely, trying to distract xemself from the unsettling experience.

“Y’know, I have no way of knowing how many traps we’re actually avoiding. You could just be fucking with me,” xe pointed out.

“Do you want to test it?” he replied, and xe could hear the smirk in his voice.

“I’m good.”

Xe spotted a large spiderweb in the corner of the corridor and looked away quickly. A moment later, something caught on xir forehead and cheek and xe shrieked, swiping wildly at it.

“Everything alright back there?” Herobrine asked.

“Yeah, I just  _ really _ don’t like spiderwebs,” xe explained, laughing nervously.

“Hm. You should have mentioned that before now.”

Casey raised xir head and recoiled with an involuntary gasp. The tunnel before them was  _ filled _ with spiderwebs. Literally  _ filled. _ Top to bottom, wall to wall, 100% solid with them. Xe couldn’t even see very far into it because the layers upon layers of webs blocked so much from view.

Xe whirled quickly, covering xir eyes with one forearm and sinking into a crouch before xir legs failed xem. Xe would be seeing that image in xir nightmares.  _ Okay, okay, breathe Casey, breathe, this is fine, this is fine, everything’s fine. EVERYTHING’S FINE. _ Despite xir efforts, xir breathing came fast and shaky and xe couldn’t regulate it.

“Come on. It’s just a few spiderwebs. They can’t hurt you,” Herobrine said. He seemed perplexed.

“I’m not going in there,” Casey choked out. Xe was perilously close to tears. “ _ I am NOT going in there. _ ”

“What if your friends were on the other side?”

“Then I’d figure something out, but even then, going in there while it’s like that would be a last resort. But they’re not, and I’m  _ not going in. _ ” Xe concentrated on speaking coherently. If xe really focused on it, xe could almost hide the about-to-cry tightness in xir voice. 

“Really? How are you going to navigate this cave without someone who knows where all the traps are? Spiderwebs can’t hurt you. The copious traps hidden in every corridor can.”

“Please don’t make me go in there,” xir voice broke. Hot tears streamed down xir cheeks. “ _ Please don’t. _ ”

Herobrine didn’t reply for a long moment. Casey braced xemself for the worst. Xe felt motion by xir side, and physically tensed.

“Come on,” he called. “We’ll take the tunnel with the stream instead.”

All the breath left xem in an involuntary sigh of relief. Xe wiped xir tears quickly and stood up, hurrying after him.

“Thank you,” xe whispered.

They backtracked all the way back to the claustrophobic crevice. Casey peered through it, but it didn’t look like the ceiling had risen yet. Xe turned back and followed Herobrine down the rightmost corridor. It was much wider than the other tunnel, with the stream running down the center. The flowing water reflected the white glow of Herobrine’s eyes in strange ways, throwing dizzying patterns of light on the stone walls and ceiling. It was a very long tunnel, too. Gradually, it sloped down more and more, until it was like walking down a steep hill. The stream flowed faster as the incline increased, and made more noise too. The gentle trickle became a loud rushing sound.

They’d almost made it out of that section of the cave without incident. The tunnel curved right up ahead, while the stream continued forward, flowing into a dark, narrow crack between the floor and wall and disappearing from view.

Then Casey slipped on a slick patch of stone near the stream and wiped out entirely. Xe stood up slowly, groaning and rubbing xir aching tailbone— only for Herobrine to tackle xem without warning. He knocked xem down and pinned xem to the floor.

“Stay down,” he murmured in xir ear.

Xe stayed down.

Even if it was for xir own good, it was still pretty weird having an acquaintance lay on top of xem. He was warm and heavy, and xe realized xe didn’t mind this at all. It just reminded xem of the cuddle piles xe used to have with xir friends, and that was always a cozy, comforting thought.

And then arrows filled the air over their heads and that blasted every cozy, comforting thought from xir mind.

It was over quickly. He sprang off xem and pulled xem to xir feet. The walls on either side of them had been completely plastered with arrows. The stone bristled with pale feathers.

“What even happened there?” xe asked.

“You hit a pressure plate when you fell,” he explained.

“Really? I don’t see one.”

“They’re very well disguised.”

Unsettled once again, xe followed him deeper into the cave. Here, the tunnel was narrow, with a low ceiling and few rock formations. However, there were pebbles of varying sizes scattered all over the floor. They all appeared to be high in mica content, and they glittered and flashed as Herobrine passed them.

“I like these shiny rocks,” Casey offered. “But I’m guessing they’re all trapped in some way?”

“Well, I thought maybe they were debris from a gravel ceiling trap. But I can’t sense any gravel chamber above us. Plus, there’s a bunch of redstone under us, but I can’t tell what it’s for,” he mused. “It’s quite strange.”

“You built this place! I thought you knew every nook and cranny.”

“I didn’t build it all at once. I worked on a room here, a room there, over the course of a few years. And I haven’t visited it in a while. I don’t remember what this part of it does.”

“Well, at least it’s got some pretty rocks.”

He nodded, then stopped dead and knelt to examine something. Xe dropped into a crouch to try and glimpse whatever had caught his attention.

“They don’t seem to be connected to anything, but they don’t really feel like pebbles either. Unless the redstone under us . . .” and before xe could stop him, he reached out and poked the rock experimentally.

The walls rumbled. Casey leapt to xir feet, ready to run. With a loud scraping, holes appeared in the walls and xe could see something glowing within them.

“It  _ is _ the redstone under us!” he cried triumphantly. “Of course, that would allow one input to—”

“Hey, Herobrine?” xe interrupted, backing away. “This  _ really  _ isn’t the time.”

Lava oozed out of the holes in the walls, painting the sides of the tunnel with thick, glowing orange streaks. It pooled on the floor, creeping slowly across the stone towards them. It began to flow faster, streaming, and then pouring, and finally gushing out of the walls.

Herobrine grabbed Casey’s hand and ran.

The two of them sprinted down the tunnel at top speed. The lava chased after them. It was slower, but aided by gravity, and it never tired. Xe glanced behind xemself once, and regretted it. It filled the cave behind them, and it was catching up.

“Y’know, I’m pretty sure I’ve had nightmares about this exact scenario,” xe yelled. Xe couldn’t help it. The banter was a panic response.

Herobrine didn’t reply, but he squeezed xir hand in acknowledgement.

Soon, xe could see the end of the tunnel. The lava was right behind them now, scorching the back of xir legs. The tunnel led into what appeared to be a colossal, cavernous room, studded with glowing crystals. However, it didn’t lead into the cavern at ground level. The tunnel just ended halfway up one of the walls.

“There’s a huge drop up ahead!” xe warned.

“There’s water underneath,” he shouted back. “Just keep running! Don’t stop at the edge!”

The edge approached. The lava approached too.

Instinct nearly forced Casey to skid to a halt rather than run right off the edge, but instinct also kept xem running from the lava lapping at xir heels. Xe closed xir eyes tight and focused on moving xir legs.

Suddenly, there was nothing beneath xir feet. Xir legs swung through thin air. Something below xir sternum rose into xir throat.

Xe opened xir eyes to see water rushing at them at alarming speed and quickly closed xem again.

Hitting the water at that speed punched all the air from xir lungs and slapped xir limbs with incredible force. Suddenly airless, xe panicked and flailed wildly, desperately, for the surface. Xir body tried to breathe in before xe actually broke the surface, and xe inhaled water.

Casey choked and coughed and sucked in a huge breath. Relief flooded xem. Filling xir lungs had never felt so good.

Xe didn’t have the chance to really relish the relief, because at that moment, something icy cold gripped xir entire body and all xir muscles contracted against xir will. Xe had just enough time to take a huge breath before xe sank back under the surface, body curled into the fetal position.

Xe opened xir eyes underwater, and though the water blurred the form before xem, it was still unmistakable.

A body the color of prismarine, with a long tail tipped with a fin. Pulsating orange spines extending out at all angles. A single eye with a crimson iris. Between Casey and the strange creature, stretched a long purple beam made of several thin filaments of magic all twisted together.

It was a guardian.

Slowly, the beam lightened and changed in hue. Xe knew that once it turned yellow, xe was doomed. But it locked all xir muscles, so xe couldn’t escape it. Xe fought it valiantly, but xe couldn’t move xir limbs more than an inch. Already, xir lungs were screaming for air. The beam was almost yellow now.

Suddenly, the ice-cold sensation and locked limbs vanished. Someone grabbed xem under the arms and forcefully pulled xem up.

Xe broke the surface, sucking in a huge breath. Instinctively, xe grabbed at the arms holding xem up, coughing and gasping for air. There was an expanse of faded cyan before xem, and xir oxygen-deprived brain couldn’t recognize it.

As xe clung to xir rescuer’s arms, panting and treading water with xir legs, coherence abruptly returned to xem.

Casey looked up to meet Herobrine’s white eyes. They were no longer unnatural and unnerving, but rather familiar and even comforting. Xe wondered when that change had occurred.

“You saved me,” xe rasped, disbelieving.

For a moment, he looked just as surprised as xe felt. 

But he recovered quickly and flashed xem a smirk before turning to face the approaching guardian. It recoiled the second he faced it, but he wasn’t done. He pointed at Casey, then at himself, then flashed his eyes at the aquatic creature. It pulled its spines in and gave him a long, slow blink.

“Guardians,” he muttered. “No integrity. Can you swim?”

Casey nodded, and he released xem. Xe turned and swam towards the pool’s edge, where xe pulled xemself up and collapsed onto the stone floor. Xe heard Herobrine pull himself out of the water and sit next to xem.

They stayed like that for several minutes. Water dripped off their bodies and puddled on the rocky ground below. Slowly, Casey’s breathing changed from a desperate panting to a regular rhythm. Finally, xe sat up with a groan.

“Boy, there was a  _ lot _ going on there,” xe began. “I think that was by far the most stressful sequence of events in my entire life.”

Herobrine began to laugh.

“I mean, I’ve had some near-death experiences, but I’ve never been so close to so many different  _ kinds _ of death in such a short period of time,” xe continued. Xe was starting to laugh as well. “Am I gonna burn alive? Drown? Be killed by a guardian? Who knows! There’s so many options!”

“This sounds like a gameshow premise,” he snickered.

“Yeah! Oh man, y’know what’s better than near-death experiences?  _ Monetized _ near-death experiences!”

“If you picked Option D, all of the above, congratulations! You’ve won this round of  _ Monetizing Human Suffering! _ ”

“Oh wow! What did I win?”

“A lawyer! To sue us with!”

Casey cracked up and Herobrine soon followed. Their laughter echoed off the cave around them, and it took the edge off the fear and panic of just a few minutes earlier.

“ _ Monetizing Human Suffering _ is a really unnecessarily clunky name,” xe pointed out, still giggling a bit. “Y’know, there’s a single word that could sum that up.”

“Capitalism?”

“Ayyy! Comrade!”

“Comrade!”

They both started laughing again.

“Alright,” Herobrine sighed. “Come on. There’s probably a treasure room at the end of this cavern.”

“Oooo, really?” Casey asked, standing up.

“Yeah. I usually tried to put rewards after big, deadly traps like that . . . But, to be fair, the rewards were usually  _ also _ traps.”

Xe rolled xir eyes. “Of course.”

For the first time, xe got a good look at the cavernous room around them. 

The first thing that really stood out to xem was the size. It was utterly  _ colossal. _ It looked about forty meters wide, and so long that xe couldn’t see the end. Massive stalactites hung from the ceiling and enormous stalagmites rose up from the floor. In numerous places, a stalactite and stalagmite met to form an immense column. Huge crystals protruded from the floor and ceiling, providing enough light to fully illuminate the gigantic room.

“Y’know, there’s almost no traps in this room,” Herobrine said suddenly, breaking the silence.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Other than the guardian back there, I can’t sense anything other than regular stone. It’s quite strange.”

“Is it weird that that’s somehow  _ more _ threatening than if you sensed a normal amount of traps?”

They fell into an uneasy silence after that. Casey observed the cave around them, amazed by its scale, while Herobrine seemed lost in thought. No longer needing to pay attention to his every move, xe let xemself daydream. 

Xe imagined a city, suspended from the stalactites above. It would be modeled after the stalactites themselves, with plenty of upside-down spires. Thin, elegant bridges would connect the buildings to each other. Each building would have multiple levels, and the ones closer to the ceiling would be much wider, while the ones closer to the floor would be much narrower. Once again, based off the stalactites. Elaborate chandeliers of glowing crystal would be all the rage. Or perhaps glowing mushrooms? What would farming levels look like? Oooo, perhaps they’d run one stream of water through multiple levels to water multiple plots, then it’d pour from the bottom of the spire in a thin waterfall.

Herobrine stopped dead, and Casey, neck craned back to better visualize the suspended city, ran right into him.

He didn’t seem to notice. “Now, that’s odd.”

“What is? What’s odd?” xe asked, immediately alert.

“That,” he pointed to a large stalagmite with a fat base. “It doesn’t feel like solid stone, but it doesn’t feel like a trap either. There’s no redstone. There’s just . . .  _ something _ there, something waiting.”

Xe felt the hair on the back of xir neck stand up. “That sounds like a stalser. We need to go,  _ now. _ ”

Without waiting for a reply, xe grabbed his arm and ran from the stalagmite. He let himself be pulled along, perplexed. Xe took cover behind a thick stalagmite, putting a finger to xir lips and peering around it to look at the possible stalser.

“What?” he whispered. “What are we running from?”

Casey opened xir mouth to reply, but at that moment the suspicious stalagmite shuddered. They both fell silent. The stalagmite shook, horizontal cracks appearing in its surface. The tip of it trembled and descended down into the stalagmite. Suddenly, it looked less like a rock formation, and more like a coiled snake of gargantuan size.

The snake uncoiled suddenly, shedding dust and pebbles. Its tail whipped around and shattered a stalagmite, shooting rock shards everywhere. It raised its head high in the air on its long, long neck, and opened its massive jaws to reveal rows upon rows of sharp teeth. They heard it inhale, and then it released a terrible, earthshaking roar that sounded like huge rocks tumbling.

It was the biggest living thing xe had ever seen. It was three or four meters tall, at  _ least _ forty meters long, and its head was bigger than xir entire body. Its scales were the exact color and texture of the rock around them. A large stone spike tipped its tail. Xe knew from books that it used the spike to help disguise itself as a stalagmite/stalactite, or as a deadly mace-like weapon. Its amber eyes were small and well-protected by rocky ridges, but they burned with malice.

“What  _ is _ that?” Herobrine murmured.

“It’s a stalser,” Casey breathed. “We’re dead.”

“A stal— oh! My old friends called it a stala-snake. Here, I can handle this,” he stood up and scrambled out of their little hiding place. “Hey buddy!”

The mighty serpent swung its head to face him with a low, rumbling growl.

He gestured to himself, then to the stalser, then made a strange downward-push sort of motion with one hand and flared his eyes.

The stalser growled again and lowered its head in submission.

“See?” he turned to Casey triumphantly. “Nothing to be afraid—”

With great dramatic irony, the serpent chose that moment to slam its enormous head into him, throwing him across the room. He soared through the air, hit the ground, and tumbled for several meters before coming to a stop.

Xe covered xir mouth, horrified.  _ Get up, get up, oh stars, please get up— _

The stalser lowered its head again and slithered toward his prone form, making quite a racket as its stony belly scraped the stony floor.

Stone. Its scales were made of solid rock. Xir sword would never pierce it, but a pickaxe would. 

Desperate, xe hefted xir trusty iron pickaxe and ran at the stalser. Xe let out a wild, uncontrolled battlecry, and brought the pickaxe down on one of the the serpent’s scales with all xir might. It cracked under the iron blow. Casey swung again, and again, and suddenly the rock crumbled beneath xir pick. Immediately, xe unsheathed xir sword and plunged it into the pale, pinkish flesh without hesitation.

To the stalser, this was rather like having a toothpick jammed between one’s ribs: small compared to its whole body, maybe even insignificant, but still extremely painful.

The stalser threw back its head with a scream of pain, then whirled to face xem.

Xir body moved before xir brain had the chance to think the action through. Casey grabbed the guard of the sword and twisted the blade as hard as xe could.

The stalser howled again and convulsed, lashing its tail. Xir nerve abandoned xem. Xe tugged xir sword free and  _ ran. _ Deeply, truly terrified, xe sprinted for the cover of the large stalagmites. Xe could hear the serpent taking chase behind xem, and ran faster.

It stopped abruptly, and xe took the chance to dart behind a thick column. Cautiously, heart pounding, xe peered around it to look back at the stalser.

The stalser had stopped because someone was clinging to its face. It was Herobrine, off the ground at last. As xe watched, he cocked one arm and slashed at its eye with his long, black claws.

The stalser screamed, louder than ever. It thrashed violently with fury and pain. He leapt nimbly off its head and landed right next to Casey.

“Why didn’t it listen to you?” xe asked in a whisper, eyes panicked.

“The universe sees it as a bigger monster than I am. Technically, I should be obeying it, not the other way around,” he bared his teeth in a fierce, reckless grin. “But I’ve never been one for rules.”

“Herobrine, listen. That thing won’t give up until we’re dead. It’ll follow us out of the cave system if it has to. We don’t have the resources to fight it, but we  _ have _ to kill it. What do we do?”

“You broke its armor with your pickaxe, right?”

“Yeah?”

“How fast can it move?”

“It’s pretty slow, but it can do a sort of lunge that’s really fast.”

The stalser’s thrashing was slowing. They were running out of time.

“That’ll work! Okay, here’s the plan: I bait it into running into walls, and while it’s recovering, you break the scales on its head. Then, we stab it like mad. Sound good?”

“Not really, but we don’t have a choice, do we?”

The stalser roared again, and began scraping towards them. Casey flung xir arms around Herobrine in a tight hug and pulled away just as fast. 

“Just remember,” he said, flashing xem a smile. “If you die, I’ll have to kill you.”

Xe smiled shakily and they both stood up.

Herobrine shot out from behind the column and went airborne immediately. The stalser followed his movement. He landed on its head, and immediately it shook him off. He had its attention.

Slowly, carefully, Casey hefted xir pickaxe and took a few tentative steps towards it. If the stalser saw xem, it could throw off the whole plan.

Herobrine was good at many things. Combat, flying, running from emotional intimacy, setting things on fire, so on and so forth. But there was one lesser-known skill that he wasn’t just  _ good  _ at. No, he was  _ great  _ at it, possibly even the best. 

He  _ excelled _ at being terribly, tremendously,  _ impressively _ annoying.

Right now, he was in his element. He flew loops around the stalser’s snout, dodging its powerful bites with infuriating ease. He danced on the top of its head, always leaping off before it could throw him off itself, and darted about just a meter from its jaws. Every time it tried to bite him or hit him with its massive head, he avoided the attack and taunted it for attempting.

It was a little inspiring to watch, in all honesty. While it was distracted, Casey managed to sneak into the perfect position: hiding behind a stalagmite near one wall of the cave, pickaxe ready. With xem in position, and the stalser thoroughly invested in trying to kill him, Herobrine moved to the next part of the plan.

Its jaws snapped just inches from him, and he yelped in fear. Just like that, he lost his nerve and fled, soaring away from it at high speed. The huge serpent roared triumphantly and gave chase. The cavern was large, but it was still just an enclosed cavern, and there was nowhere to run. Suddenly, his back was against a wall.

The stalser, drunk on rage, lunged forward without a second thought. 

Its head slammed into the wall with a deafening crash that shook the cave. Casey hoped Herobrine had gotten out in time and ran forward, trying not to think about what xe was doing. Xe slowed to a stop near the serpent’s head and brought xir pickaxe down on its stony scales. Xe swung again and again, desperation and fear rising in xir throat.

Finally, a cluster of the rock scales crumbled. Casey lifted xir pick again to start breaking down another, but at that moment the stalser shifted. Xe froze. It growled and lifted its head. Slowly, it turned to face xem, eyes narrow with pain and blazing with fury.

Xir breath was coming in rapid, uncontrolled pants. Xe couldn’t move, couldn’t  _ think. _ Xe could only feel the awful, all-consuming terror holding xir entire body captive.

Herobrine materialized on its snout and blew it a kiss. Immediately, it threw its head back with a howl of rage. It forgot Casey instantly and twisted to attack Herobrine, who did another vertical loop around its jaws. He led it away from xem, luring it back to the middle of the cavern.

Xe took a deep, stabilizing breath, and began sneaking through the stalagmites to get to the other side. Xe guessed he was going to bait it into the opposite wall this time, so xe needed to be ready to chip away at more scales.

But it seemed the stalser wasn’t going to fall for that again. Suddenly, it gave a long rumbling moan, ducked its head and began slithering in the opposite direction. Xe quickly hid behind a stalagmite. Herobrine darted in circles over its head, but it ignored him. Annoyed, he ascended a few meters and followed it from the air.

“What’s wrong with it?” he called.

Casey wasn’t sure. Xe’d never heard of a stalser running from an opponent before. They were one of the most aggressive species known to man.

Just as quickly, the stalser performed a hairpin turn and rushed at Herobrine.

Looking at its snout, he didn’t notice it. But Casey did. It had lifted its huge, deadly tail. As it charged him, the tail whipped around. The large, heavy stone spike at the end arced through the air with an audible  _ whoosh. _

“Look out!” xe yelled. Warning him was more important than staying hidden.

But xe was too late. The immense stone spike struck him at incredible speed, throwing him across the room. He slammed back-first into a natural column with a horrible  _ thud _ and fell to the ground, where he laid face-down and motionless.

“Herobrine!” xe cried, and sprinted towards him without hesitation. Xe was dimly aware of the stalser scraping nearby, but xe didn’t care.

Casey skidded to a stop and crouched next to him, heart pounding. Xe snatched up one limp hand and carefully pressed two fingers to his wrist, just below the thumb. He still had a strong pulse, which was usually a good sign. Carefully, xe adjusted his head so xe could see his face and held a finger under his nose. He was still breathing, too.

Xe shook his shoulder, gently at first, and then quite roughly. “C’mon. You gotta get up.”

Xe glanced up and realized, to xir horror, that xe couldn’t see the stalser. Xe could  _ hear _ it, slithering somewhere behind them, but— there it was. Its head came out from behind the column and leered at Casey.

Xe realized that what xe’d thought was a rock formation was in fact its tail. The stalser was coiled in a circle, rather like the ouroboros, with Casey and Herobrine at the center. They had nowhere to go.

“You  _ really _ gotta get up,” xe urged, smacking his cheek lightly with the back of xir hand.

The stalser rumbled and did another loop around the column, then another. Its head got a little closer to them each time. The circle was closing in. They were trapped.

_ Is this it? Am I really gonna die here? _ xe wondered incredulously. It seemed unfair. Xe hadn’t published a book. Xe hadn’t reunited with xir friends. Xe couldn’t even tell them good-bye. And now xe was going to die, alone, killed by some stupid stalser at the bottom of some stupid cave.

Suddenly, Casey wasn’t afraid. Xe was  _ angry. _ No, not just angry, xe was  _ livid. _

Xe stood up and stepped between Herobrine and the stalser. Xe unsheathed xir sword, chest heaving with fury. If xe was going to die here, xe was going to go out fighting.

The stalser recoiled slightly, seeming surprised.

“Aw, are you scared?” xe taunted. To xir relief, xir voice didn’t even shake. “I thought you were a big, bad stalser.”

The stalser bared its rows and rows of sharp, jagged teeth and growled. Xe could feel it rumble in xir chest.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re  _ sooo _ intimidating. I’m not gonna spend my last living moments in fear. You don’t scare me.”

It wasn’t a bluff. Xe would taunt the beast with xir last breath if xe had to. Casey was out of physical and emotional energy, and was now running on pure distilled spite.

A breeze ruffled xir hair, which was weird, because there weren’t usually breezes underground. It strengthened into a powerful wind, tangling xir hair and roaring in xir ears.

The stalser drew back. This time, it really did seem scared.

Xe remembered what happened last time xe felt a breeze underground. Quickly, xe whirled around.

Herobrine floated a meter off the ground, the wind whipping at his hair and clothes. Slowly, he lifted his head, and when he opened his eyes they were bright. His smug smile displayed sharp fangs. Xe felt hope blossom in xir chest.

“Hey buddy!” he called, addressing the stalser. “Guess what power I just got back!”

With that, he clapped his hands together and launched a fireball from his palms. It exploded on contact with the stalser. Hot air rolled across their faces, and flaming shards of rock rained down around them. When the smoke cleared, it revealed the naked face of the stalser. The fiery explosion had blasted its stone scales into bits.

Xir jaw dropped.

The great serpent recoiled, shaking its head, and began to retreat. It turned tail and fled, slithering away at top speed.

“Oh no,” Herobrine chided, snatching Casey’s sword from xir hands. “I gave you the chance to avoid all this. You wanted a fight, and now you’re gonna get one.”

It weaved between stalagmites, trying to lose him. He soared after it, throwing three fireballs directly in its path. It drew back from the explosions and tried to slink a different direction.

He shot forward and sliced down its face, from between its eyes all the way to the end of its snout. It howled with pain and shook its head fiercely. But he wasn’t done. He darted under its chin and carved a line up its cheek. It howled again and twisted to bite at him, but he dodged it easily. Then, he landed on its snout and cut deep with a horizontal strike. Before it could even express its pain, he adjusted his grip on the sword and lifted it high. He plunged the blade into the stalser’s head, right between the eyes. Leaving the sword buried there, he backflipped —  _ backflipped! _ — off its head and landed right in front of Casey.

He gave xem a dramatic bow as the stalser crumbled to dust behind him.

The remaining stone scales on its body deteriorated and fell to the rocky floor in a shower of pebbles and grit. The actual flesh of the serpent dissolved into thick gray smoke that quickly faded away. Casey’s sword dropped in a streak of silver, striking the ground with a resounding metallic clatter.

Just like that, the cave was quiet. No stone-on-stone scraping, no beastly roars, no powerful explosions. There was only the sound of their breathing, which seemed strangely loud in the silence.

Casey stared at the place where the stalser had been, then at Herobrine, then at the piles of rubble. Xir slack-jawed expression turned into an open-mouthed grin of sheer amazement and joy.

_ I’m alive.  _ ** _We’re_ ** _ alive. We’re both alive! _

Xe began to laugh, with shock at first, and then with real glee. Suddenly, xe was running, footsteps crunching on the stony shrapnel coating the floor. Xe crashed into Herobrine and flung xir arms around him in a hug. He froze at first, but then xe felt him start to laugh as well, and then he hugged xem back. 

“I think that was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” xe grinned.

“Thank you! Watching you stand up to a deadly beast a dozen times your size was pretty great, too. I didn’t know humans could do that.”

“I didn’t either! I was just so mad that it outweighed my fear.”

“Ah, the age-old tactic of ceaseless rage. Of course.”

Casey laughed. Something in the back of xir mind wondered if this hug was going on too long to be socially acceptable, but then xe realized didn’t really care. Having someone’s arms around xem was comforting, and he’d just saved their lives, and xe really didn’t want to let go. Xe buried xir face in his shoulder and suddenly xe wasn’t just laughing, but crying too. Xe wasn’t even quite sure why. It was just an outpouring of emotion, familiar yet unnameable.

The two of them stayed like that for a good long while, holding each other and laughing and crying. After that, they really were friends. There are some things that force people to appreciate each other and grow closer, and working together to avoid certain death is one of them. 

And a good thing too, because they’d need each other to survive what was to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my GOD this chapter is HUGE. I'm so sorry I couldn't find a place to split it so it's just gotta be B i g. I hope yall like it though! There's a lot going on in this one: some character development, some relationship development, I got to describe big pretty caves, we got some good old fightin' to the death, all sorts of great stuff!
> 
> Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/


	18. Checkers

Herobrine turned to face the human. Xir breathing was rhythmic and even, xir eyes closed, and xir expression peaceful. Sure that xe was asleep, he cast a teleportation spell and vanished.

He appeared in the immense cavern where he’d fought the stalser. Just thinking about it brought a smile to his face. It’d felt amazing to wield a sword again, even a flimsy iron one. Not to mention, the _ look _ on Casey’s face, shock and disbelief and then sheer _ amazement _. Plus, getting to shoot fireballs out of your hands was pretty great, too.

He couldn’t believe **they** returned fireballs to him before swords. Fireballs could harm multiple creatures at once and mess up the surrounding environment. Swords were a finesse weapon that could only harm one person at a time. Certainly fireballs were more dangerous. Sure, swords allowed him to strategically take out specific enemies one by one with little to no collateral damage, and yeah, his enchanted diamond blades could shatter armor in one strike and kill a human with a single stab, and okay, maybe he relished a little too much the horrified, fearful expression on humans’ faces when they spotted the weapons he held, but . . . no, swords were definitely more dangerous in his hands than fireballs were. **They** were right. Again. Just like **they** always were.

He’d come here for a reason, and it wasn’t to be annoyed at the way his abilities were coming back to him. He came here because he wanted to fix up a few of the traps and check out the nearby treasure room. Actually, he’d wanted to explore it right after defeating the stalser, but his human companion clearly didn’t want to stay in the cave any longer after everything that had happened.

That was the other reason he’d returned to the cave. He needed to get away from the human for a little bit.

_ Why wouldn’t I? What would you do? _

Why had Casey rushed over to him when the stalser had knocked him out of the air? He’d puzzled over it for the rest of the day, and it still perplexed him. He remembered quite clearly the sensation of xir signature quickly approaching him, even as he teetered on the edge of consciousness. Running towards him, and running into the stalser’s trap.

_ I dunno. I wasn’t really thinking about it. You hit the ground really hard, I was worried, I had to make sure you were okay. _

At first he’d thought it was a most elaborate ruse. That xe didn’t need his help for anything after all, and xe was merely using it as a cover-up so he’d never suspect xir true intentions. He was on the ground, vulnerable and in pain and nearly unconscious, and when xe started running towards him he thought it was to take advantage of that.

Then he blacked out, and when he recovered, Casey was standing between him and the stalser, holding a sword and mouthing off. Xe was quite literally inches from painful death and xe wanted to spend xir last moments shit-talking a giant serpent.

_ Okay? And? Look, there was no conscious thought happening. I saw my friend get hurt and suddenly I was right next to them checking their pulse. I knew the stalser was, like, there, but I just didn’t really care. _

What kind of human risked their life for something like him? Maybe for a treasured pet, or even a cute dog, but for a _ monster? _ It made about as much sense as risking one’s life for a creeper. He just couldn’t wrap his head around it. 

Herobrine had mulled it over during the trek back to the surface, and while eating the hearty supper he made, and while watching the stars appear in the darkening skies. In the quiet shelter, when they were both in bed but neither of them was asleep, he asked xem about it. Like the action itself, the human’s answer didn’t make any sense. Xe claimed it was just instinct, and seemed surprised that he would think it was anything but a regular thing to do.

He’d had a few people put their lives on the line for him in the past, of course, but never like this. It was always by starstruck worshippers trying to prove their devotion, the kind who loudly proclaimed what an honor it was to risk their lives for him. They were doing it to show the depths of their blind loyalty, which honestly just made him so uncomfortable he had to set things on fire to cope with it. Casey, on the other hand, wasn’t trying to prove anything, or loudly proclaim anything. Xe didn’t even think it was that big of a deal.

It was _ weird. _ It made him feel _ weird _. Warm and tingling and disbelieving and wary, all at once.

He wished, for about the ten trillionth time since returning to reality, that he could talk to Jean. He missed complaining about shithead humans with her and pretending to flirt with the endermen to make her laugh, and falling asleep with one of her huge wings over him like a blanket. But the gateway to her dimension was very, very far away. Too far for him to teleport until he got a lot more of his power back. 

That was fine. He could wait. He didn’t need her. He didn’t _ need _anyone. He’d always been able to survive just fine on his own.

Herobrine shook his head fiercely to clear the melancholy thoughts. He was here to fix up some traps. Nothing grabbed his interest and kept it like complex redstone contraptions did. The activity always cheered him up. Even with the instinctive knowledge of redstone components born from his closeness to the universe, making multiple parts work together was still a challenge, and one he relished.

First, the tunnel-filling-with-lava trap. He was quite proud of that one, even if — no, no, _ especially _ if — it had nearly killed him and Casey. The lava was released by using two pockets of magma, one on each side of the tunnel, and compact block-swappers to open holes in the walls. It was significantly more complicated (and _ unfathomably _ more annoying to build) than just using dispensers with lava buckets would have been, but well worth it because it meant he never had to refill any dispensers.

He soared through the massive cavern, searching for the peculiar feeling of that trap. The steleotheme-studded room was large, but he was a fast flyer, and it didn’t take long for him to sense him. He aimed a glare at the guardian in the pool below as he shot over it.

He couldn’t believe the dumb thing had nearly drowned Casey. Xe’d dodged the consequences of every triggered trap and outran a deadly torrent of lava, only to almost-die to some pathetic fish.

Xe’d looked so surprised when he saved xem. Surprise and relief and gratitude and something a little too close to trust for Herobrine’s taste, it was all present on xir face.

He reached the trap and inspected it carefully with his world-sensing. The holes in the walls had long since closed themselves, just as they were supposed to. Now that he knew what he was looking for, he spotted the hopper clock controlling how long they remained open. The same clock also controlled when the water would drain from a flooded room and when certain sections of the floor in another tunnel would retract, opening several deep pits for adventurers to fall into.

The entire system was like that. He reused as many contraptions as possible, for as many different tasks as possible. There was probably more redstone components in the ground here than there was stone. For a moment he entertained the idea of triggering every trap here at once. Now _ that _ would be a molasses machine. Movement would probably halt entirely, squids would start to float, redstone contraptions all around the world would stop working, maybe he’d even get some ghost ground if he was lucky. **They** would be furious with him, of course, but that was half the fun.

Then he thought about how all that might open a rift to the . . . to _ that place, _ and suddenly it wasn’t nearly as much fun to think about. Quickly, he refocused on the traps around him.

He checked up on a few more traps before finally going for the treasure room. Really, he wanted to revisit every trap in the place, but he also wanted to get back to the human before xe woke up, and he needed to loot the treasure room first. Plus “checking up” on a specific trap had included manually resetting _ way _ too many pistons and he wanted to avoid them for a while.

A lot of humans thought him the greatest evil the world had ever seen, but clearly those humans had never dealt with pistons.

He murmured a spell and appeared once more in the immense room with the huge rock formations. He darted between stalactites, looking for the glittering room. There it was, hidden behind a simple combination lock that utilized the varying signals produced by item frames. He recognized the feeling of four chests in a circle immediately. Rather than unlocking the combination lock, he just bypassed the whole thing entirely and teleported in.

The treasure room was small, but chips of gold glinted in the stone walls, and the floor was made of clean white quartz. He searched all four chests. The final one was trapped, of course, but it was only a pitfall trap and those are pretty easy to avoid when one can fly. To his surprise and delight, he found almost exactly what he was looking for.

A diamond helmet and diamond leggings, both iridescent with enchantments. A full set of enchanted iron armor, though he only needed the boots, and maybe the chestplate. Everything was enchanted with Unbreaking III, and with Protection III or higher. The helmet had been enchanted with both Aqua Affinity and Respiration, and the boots with Depth Strider and Feather Falling. 

The human was finally going to get some good armor.

Herobrine couldn't believe how far xe'd made it without even a full set of iron. Xir chestplate was enchanted iron, sure, but that didn't even _ begin _to make up for the chainmail leggings and leather boots. He'd wanted to get xem better gear before they descended into the deadly cave system, but he still couldn't produce anything combat-related, and Casey's mining trips hadn't produced nearly enough iron for it.

Oh, _ that _must have been why xe'd run to him during the spat with the stalser! For the same reason he was currently getting xem some good armor. Because they had a deal and they both wanted the other to uphold their end, and that couldn't happen if one of them was incapacitated or dead. That had to be it.

But xe _ had _called him xir friend . . .

And xe was lying, of course. Just like everyone else. There was no reason for Casey to befriend him except to get him to do things for _ xem _ without xem ever doing things for _ him _.

He'd need to keep an eye on xem, in case xe tried something like that again. He wouldn't let himself be manipulated.

He gathered up the armor and teleported back to the shelter. There, he dropped it into the chest between the two beds and quietly closed the lid. He'd reveal it to the human that morning.

Oooo, maybe they'd spar in the morning. The thought made his heart leap. Fighting just felt _ so good, _ even if it was barely really fighting. And after so long fighting seasoned warriors who had been specially trained to take him down, it was nice to go against someone who was so easy to beat.

But tomorrow was a rest day, and they didn't normally spar on rest days. 

He curled up in bed and yawned. He'd think about it more tomorrow. Manually resetting about a million pistons one by one really took it out of someone.

Then he was asleep.

As always, he woke up long before Casey. He shot xem a glance – yup, still sleeping – and stepped outside. The sky was beginning to lighten, and to the East it had an orangey tint, but nothing was awake yet. No birds chirped, no bees buzzed, no humans stirred.

Herobrine took a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh morning air, then floated to a sturdy branch near the top of a nearby tree and closed his eyes. Here, he examined the world around him and organized his thoughts, considering things he wanted to do that day, cross-referencing bits of information that were relevant to those things, and preparing himself for problems that might arise. Meditation complete, he jumped to the ground and performed all manner of stretches. He finished the task just as the sun cleared the trees and dipped the forest in gold.

It took him just a few words to produce a delicious breakfast. He didn't technically _ need _food – he had other sources of energy – but the human did, and he liked eating it even if he could live without it.

Casey woke up before long, yawning and stumbling out of bed and, as always, seeming shocked by the food prepared for xem.

“Thank 'oo fo' the breakfaff,” xe mumbled, mouth full. Xe swallowed and shook xir head. “_ Wow, _ that was completely unintelligible. Let's try that again: Thank you for the breakfast.”

He shrugged. “No problem.”

Xe stood up and stretched with a sigh. “What're we doing today?”

“It's a rest day, so whatever we want. I think I want to inspect some more traps, maybe write down some ideas.”

“Hmmm . . . I really wanna come with but I also don't wanna go near that cave ever again.”

“Understandable,” he replied, wondering why xe'd want to come with in the first place.

“If it's traps you want, maybe you could do that up here, on the surface? Because I just wanna chill out, maybe take a bath, and not do anything life-threatening in the slightest, but building traps with a friend is also _ really fun. _”

There it was again. Casey calling him a friend. Xe was definitely trying to manipulate him. He needed to get away from xem for a bit. The time alone would clear his head, and xe couldn't manipulate him if he wasn't there.

“Sounds good,” he agreed. That wasn't right. What was he doing? He needed to spend _ less _ time with xem, not _ more _.

“Do you wanna borrow my components again?” xe asked.

“No, I can make my own. Fireballs weren't the only power I got back,” he explained, baring his sharp fangs in a grin. Casey grinned back.

“Might I make a redstone request?” xe asked, xir grin melting into a mischievous smirk. “Make it so when someone chops down a tree it _ explodes. _”

Herobrine ran through a mental list of traps he could use to make that happen. There was a number of ways to accomplish similar results, especially now that something called an “observer” had been invented — he really needed to experiment with it later — but the simplest would probably be . . .

“Which tree?” he asked.

Xe closed xir eyes and pointed at a random tree, which turned out to be a nearby oak. He trotted over to it, murmuring a spell of giving that’d produce all the components he needed.

“First, we’re gonna need to clear out a bunch of space underneath,” he explained. “One, three— no, five, and then— a six by six square, two meters deep.”

“Can do!” Casey hefted a shovel and drove it into the grass. It didn’t take long for xem to clear away a good chunk of dirt, but after only a few minutes xe paused, leaning on xir shovel. “At risk of sounding rude, this would go a lot faster if we had two people helping. _ And _ you have superpowers, I feel like you could get a lot done faster than I could.”

Herobrine blinked. “Are you . . . asking me to help you dig?”

“Y-yeah. Kinda thought I made that clear.”

He should be outraged, right? He was a highly autonomous cosmic anomaly of great power, the likes of which had never been seen before! He was the King of Beasts, the White-eyed Scourge, Chaos Incarnate! Humanity feared his name! He didn’t do _ manual labor. _

But he wasn’t. He was just amused. And curious about the unfamiliar sinking feeling in his chest that made his ears itch uncomfortably.

“Here, I have an extra shovel,” xe offered.

Like he was going to accept a handout from a human. Or ever be caught dead digging some hole side by side with one. It was _ undignified. _ He’d never sink so low.

He took the shovel.

With two people digging, the task _ did _ get completed a lot faster. It took them only a few minutes to clear out all the space required.

“Now what?” Casey asked, brushing the hair from xir eyes and smearing dirt on xir forehead in the process.

“Now, the fun part,” Herobrine replied. “Watch and learn.”

First, he affixed a lever to the underside of the trunk and flipped it to the ON position, which powered a clump of redstone dust beneath it. He piled dirt in a crude circle around the dust and stuck four redstone torches in the circle’s outside edge, so they faced out. The redstone in the center powered the torches and turned them off. When the lever was flipped off or broken, the redstone in the center would lose power, the torches would come to life, and they’d activate the explosives.

“Stars, redstone torches look so weird when they’re not lit,” Casey mused. “Hey, I just realized something really sad. We don’t have any TNT.”

“Do you have a crafting table?”

“Yeah? How will that— y’know what, just take it.”

Herobrine produced a full stack of sand with a quick spell, pulled a sizeable packet of gunpowder from his pocket, and slammed them both down on the table.

“Where did you . . .”

“I have a way with creepers,” he said smugly. That wasn’t how he got the gunpowder though. The human didn’t need to know how he _ really _got it.

He deftly combined the gunpowder and sand on the table, handing the bundles of dynamite to Casey to carry while he made more. Before long, they had more than enough.

“I prefer to use what I call the ‘creeping tendril’ design,” he explained matter-of-factly. “There’s enough TNT scattered in all directions that if they run, no matter which way they go, the explosions will reach them anyway.”

“Clever,” xe nodded. “Sadistic, but clever. I can appreciate that.”

He laughed and started positioning the explosives. Xe quickly clambered out of the pit, looking distinctly more nervous than xe had while building it. Once the TNT was placed, he floated out of the hole and started covering it with grass. Within moments, it looked just like a regular, dynamite-free tree again.

“It’s kinda scary that a trap like that can be disguised so well. I helped _ make _it and I’m not entirely sure there’s really a trap there,” xe said.

“What’s _ really _ scary is how easily it can be avoided,” he complained. “Do you know how hard it is to make a trap _ work _ on your species? It’s a little easier in an enclosed space like a cave, but even _ then _ you somehow manage to escape it! It’s infuriating!”

“That’s . . . kind of comforting I suppose, in a weird, backwards way. Now, before we forget that’s there — er, well, before _ I _ forget it’s there and blow myself up like an idiot, I do want to see some ‘splosions. You wanna do the honors?”

“It’d be my pleasure.”

Casey handed over xir axe and Herobrine strolled over to the trapped tree.

“I am but a weary lumberjack,” he called dramatically. “I’ve traveled far and yet never found a tree worthy of being chopped by my mighty axe.”

“Not much of a lumberjack,” xe pointed out, but he could hear the smile in xir voice. “You’re not even wearing plaid.”

“You’re right! I’m a fraud!” he cried, sniffling and pretending to hold back tears. “Perhaps . . . perhaps I can redeem myself by felling this fine oak.”

And with that, he swung the axe once, twice, three times and broke the log beneath it. The lever snapped off, four redstone torches flared, and several clusters of TNT sizzled in unison.

“Egads!” he howled, and teleported back to Casey’s side.

It went off without a hitch. The initial explosion obliterated the tree and the immediate area, shaking the ground blasting them both with grit and chunks of dirt. Then, before the dust from the first had settled, the “creeping tendrils” went off too, growing closer to them with each explosion.

Then, just as fast as it started, it was over. The air was hazy with smoke that smelled of gunpowder, and small clumps of dirt rained down with soft thumps.

“Yeah!” Herobrine cheered. Triumphant, he threw an arm over Casey’s shoulders and pulled xem close to him without thinking. “Oh, it never gets old!”

“We’re great at explosions _ and _ improv,” xe smiled, putting xir own arm over his shoulders. No human had ever done that before.

“I’d say we need a little practice,” he countered, hiding his shock well. “How about a few more?”

They built various redstone devices ‘til sundown, stopping only to have a late lunch. After traps, they tried practical contraptions, and then slime block machines. They managed to put together a flying machine that would just keep going up for eternity. Casey nervously tied xemself to the contraption and Herobrine activated it.

“And I can’t make obsidian yet,” he’d warned xem. “So this thing is never stopping. If you want off, it’ll be . . . an interesting challenge.”

A hundred meters up, xe’d tapped out. Herobrine flew up to xem, sliced through the ropes binding xem to the machine with a few slashes of his claws, and carried xem down to the ground.

“I’d like to go higher, just, um, maybe with water underneath,” xe’d said. “To be honest, I prefer this kind of flying. I trust you a bit more than I trust that deathtrap of a machine.”

He was tempted to drop xem right then, out of spite, but frankly, he was so distracted by the idea of a human trusting him that he didn’t have the chance to.

By then, Casey was too shaky to try something like that again, and the shadows too long. They put aside redstone for the day and cooked up a plentiful supper. That’s when it happened.

“That was delicious,” Casey sighed, content. “A great ending to a great day.”

Herobrine nodded in agreement. It _ had _ been a good day. He couldn’t remember the last time the Place Beyond the Void had been so far from his mind, the last time he’d been so okay spending so much time with a human, the last time he’d had so much _ fun. _

Xe yawned and stretched. “Oh! Say, you up for some checkers tonight?”

The cozy, satisfied feeling vanished.

He peered at xem through untrusting narrow eyes.

Xe asked him this once every few nights, as if his answer would ever change. And now, he knew why. 

He _ shouldn’t _ be okay spending so much time with a human. Instead of getting away from xem like he’d originally planned, he’d spent the whole day with xem. He’d let his guard down.

Casey was trying to manipulate him. Just like everyone else.

Not this time.

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” he growled, standing up. He felt his claws extend and did nothing to stop them. “I know what you’re playing at.”

“Pardon? The only thing I’m trying to play is checkers,” xe replied cautiously.

Herobrine took a few steps towards xem and xe stood up. Alarm flickered across xir face when xe spotted his claws.

“Oh really?” he hissed. “First, you risk your life ‘making sure I’m okay’ during the stalser fight, then you act like it was a perfectly normal thing to do. Then, you call me ‘friend’, as if I’m gonna believe that from a human. And now you’re trying to get me to play some little game where you can pretend to enjoy my company.”

With every transition word, he stepped closer to xem, until xe was backed against the wall of the shelter. Xir eyes were wide and scared, and seemed to be glittering with tears but that had to be a trick of the light.

“I’ve dealt with your kind before. You’re trying to get on my good side so you’ll never have to keep your end of the deal,” he snarled. “You’re pretending to care so I’ll do whatever you want without you ever returning the favor. And this time, you’re caught.”

Casey stared at him for a long moment without saying anything, breathing fast. Then, xe closed xir eyes and took a step away from the wall at xir back, a step towards him.

“Look, if we’re gonna be stuck traveling together for a long time, we might as well be friends,” xe said, in a quiet, shaky voice. “That’s why I want to play board games with you. I’m sorry that other people did that to you. But I’m not them. We can’t treat each other like garbage, because we’ve only _ got _each other.”

Herobrine stared at xem, speechless.

“If I was faking it, why would I risk my life? Why would I go that far unless I really _ did _ care?” xe asked in a stronger voice. “Because I do. I do care. I’m not pretending.”

“Why?” he rasped, still hostile.

“Why? Because you’re really funny, and you remind me to eat and sleep, and your redstone’s cool and I like talking to you. I’m not pretending to enjoy your company, I really do.”

Shoulders slumped, he landed on the grass. He hadn’t even known he was floating. The feeling of sinking in his chest and burning along his ears was back, and much, much worse this time. It made him want to hop in the nearest lava pool and never emerge.

He still wasn’t sure if xe was telling the truth or not. No human had ever talked to him like that before. He didn’t have a frame of reference for this. What was it that **they** had said about Casey?

_ Xe meant it. Xe really is glad you’re there. _

_ If you won’t trust xem, trust us. You know we wouldn’t lie to you about this. And we say xe meant it. _

If that was true, he’d just threatened xem with claws out for no reason.

He sighed, unable to meet xir eyes, and fiddled with a rip in his jeans. Xe had looked so . . . _ scared. _ So _ betrayed. _ Normally, he liked scaring humans, but this time it just gave him that awful sinking feeling.

“You . . .” he trailed off and forced himself to look xem in the eyes. The expression of dismay and worry on xir face was almost too much to bear. “You still down for checkers?”

The pained look melted into relief, and xe gave him a small, shaky smile. “Yeah.”

He would give xem a chance. That smile made it worth the risk.

It turned out neither of them were very good at checkers. Casey hadn’t played it in months, and Herobrine could barely remember the rules. The one round they played that night was long and full of “Wait, is that allowed?”. Finally, Herobrine suffered an agonizing defeat (agonizing only in how long it took) and they both wished each other good night.

Wasn’t there something he was supposed to do here? Something both **they** _and_ Jean had instructed him on?

“Hey, hu— Casey,” he called.

“Mmm?” xe mumbled

“I . . . I, uh . . . I’m . . . ugh, nevermind. Hold on.”

He produced a sheet of paper with a spell and quickly scribbled something on its surface. Then he reached over, dropped it on the chest between their beds, and rolled over to face the wall.

He heard it crinkle when the human picked it up, and heard xem shift position so xe could hold it under the moonlight to make out the words.

“Bri?”

A nickname. He’d never had one of those before, unless you counted all the titles humans who hated his guts had given him.

“Yeah?”

“I . . . no, it's . . . it's . . . nevermind. I'll tell you later."

"Spit it out, human."

“No, no, it's-it's stupid. I don't know how to word it. I'll tell you later, honest."

“I'll hold you to that."

“Oh, and by the way? I, um, I forgive you. Don't worry about it."

He pulled the blankets up and didn’t reply. The pale paper of the note he’d written seemed to glow in the moonlight, starkly illuminating the words _ I’m sorry._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not too happy with the pacing towards the end but I'm not unhappy with it enough to spend another two hours fiddling with it! aside from that, I really like this one. some insight into our boy, a fun contraption-building montage, and some sweet, sweet character development! ngl, as a rather paranoid person myself, this chapter hit a little too close to home :')
> 
> EDIT: fixed up the ending a bit! things were developing a little fast. we'll save that concept for later on, don't worry
> 
> What do you think of Herobrine's feelings towards Casey (and humans in general) and thought processes? Or about the before-checkers talk? Or the nickname "Bri"? Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/
> 
> The characters of this story have an ask blog! Ask 'em anything at https://askthedaylight.tumblr.com/


	19. Herobrine's Mansion

“So, where’re we headed next?” Casey asked over a breakfast of buttered buns and apple slices. Yesterday had been a rest day, so today they would travel. Xe was eager to get moving again.

Herobrine smiled slyly, the way an evil mastermind would when telling their advisor that everything’s going according to plan. “A place several kilometers East of here. It’s about a two days trip, I’d say.”

“What kinda place?” xe asked warily.

“A haunted mansion,” he replied with obvious glee. “It’s filled with all kinds of creative traps and every night monster and mobster I could hire. And not all redstone traps, either! It’s mostly magic traps, actually.”

“Ma—  _ magic traps?! _ That’s a thing?”

“Yup! They’re pretty much the best.”

“And, I’m sorry, did you say ‘every night monster and mobster you could hire’?”

“Okay, to be fair, it was more wrangling than hiring in the night monsters’ case, but the  _ mobsters _ were hired fair and square. I paid them and everything.”

“Really? How’d that go?”

“I said ‘I’ll give you tons of cool shit if you attack anyone who comes through this door’, and they went ‘can we brag about working for the Great and Terrible Herobrine’, and of course I said ‘yeah’, so then they lived in the mansion and attacked people and got tons of cool shit. Not that complicated.”

“Oh stars, the idea of trading one’s labor for valuables! It’s too big, too  _ powerful _ , for my tiny mind!”

Herobrine laughed, and xe smiled.

“Hurry up so we can get sparring,” he pressed. “I have something to show you afterwards.”

Casey perked up at that, and swallowed the last of xir tea. “Oh?”

“It’s a surprise. C’mon!”

Xe stood up with a groan, then began running through the pre-spar stretches he’d taught xem. It took only a few moments to go through them all.

“When are we gonna start using iron swords?” xe asked, hefting xir wooden blade.

“Soon.”

“What kinda soon? Like, tomorrow soon, or in a month soon?”

Rather than replying, Herobrine darted forward and slashed at xir chest. Xe barely blocked the strike in time. The impact made the sword throb in xir hands. Immediately, he aimed a blow at xir legs, which xe avoided by quickly jumping back. He stepped forward and stabbed at xem, but xe managed to knock his blade aside.

Each time they sparred, Casey could hold xir own against him just a little bit longer. This time, xe managed to block and dodge his attacks until he feinted a blow to xir head and struck at xir legs when xe tried to block it. Xe fell to the ground and his sword was at xir neck instantly.

“I don’t think I’ve ever lasted that long,” xe panted.

“Good job,” he nodded. Xe beamed at the praise.

They sparred for several more minutes. Xe felt xir breathing get more and more ragged as the exertion continued. Xir strikes lost steam and it grew steadily harder to avoid Herobrine’s attacks.

He forced xem backwards until suddenly xir back was against a tree. Xe managed to block his first swing, but then he lifted his sword high and brought it down on xir head with both hands. Real panic bloomed in xir chest and burned away any coherent or reasonable thought. Casey flinched and lifted xir blade to block the blow.

A high-pitched crack rang in xir ears. The wooden sword vibrated painfully against xir palms. Xe opened xir eyes cautiously, breathing hard.

The sword in xir hands was no longer a sword. All that remained was the grip and half the crossguard. The rest was in splinters, scattering the ground and clinging to xir clothes.

“Hmm. Maybe I  _ should _ go easier on you,” Herobrine mused, peering at the mangled twig in his hands. His blade had been shattered too.

“How did you — you — you broke both our swords!” Casey cried, incredulous.

“Our  _ wooden _ swords. A toddler could have broken them.”

“I — you — that — that was aimed at my  _ head! _ You could have broken your sword over my— you could have broken  _ my head! _ ”

“Oh, you would have been fine. Human skulls are much stronger than some flimsy, pathetic excuse for a blade.”

“ _ Fine _ seems a bit optimistic!”

He dropped the remains of his sword without responding and beckoned xem to follow. Xe brushed the wood chips off xir clothes and trotted into the shelter after him, grumbling to xemself under xir breath.

“Now, I actually meant to give you this yesterday, but we started messing with redstone and it slipped my mind,” he explained, opening the chest and rummaging through its contents. “Ah! Here we are!”

Herobrine tossed xem something about the size of xir head, something bright and blue. Xe caught it and stared down at the object in xir hands.

It was a diamond helmet, iridescent and covered in enchantment runes.

“I got you diamond leggings and some iron boots too,” he went on. “About time you got some decent armor.”

“I . . . I don’t know what to say. I— thank you. Thank you so much. How do I . . . how can I . . .” xe trailed off, stunned. Xe’d never been so close to enchanted diamond armor, let alone  _ owned _ it. And now it was just being given to xem. It was surreal. “How can I repay you?”

“By not dying,” he replied flatly.

“Fair enough.”

“Put those in your pack and let’s get on the road.”

Casey thanked him again, carefully tucked the precious armor into xir inventory pack, and took down the shelter. The whole process didn’t take long. Together, the two of them journeyed East.

It ended up being closer to a three-day trip, rather than a two-day one. The journey itself was quite enjoyable. Herobrine had plenty of fascinating stories about the mansion to share, like how he’d met a powerful witch named Brenda while building it, and how difficult setting up the magical traps had been. They tried checkers once more, but they were both still terrible at it so they switched to uno instead, which was much more fun. At some point in the middle of the night, Herobrine crafted two more wooden swords so they could continue sparring.

The routine of sparring every morning, traveling for most of the day, and playing a low-stakes game before bed was a welcome one. For Casey, it was a double-edged sword, for while xe liked it because it felt so similar to spending a day with xir friends, it also gave xem a lonely, melancholy feeling for the same reason.

Despite the pleasant daily routine, both of them were quite eager to come across the mansion. Herobrine hadn’t seen it in a long, long,  _ very long _ time, and after hearing so many stories about it, Casey was excited to explore it too. By the third day, they were almost impatient for it.

By suppertime of the third day, Casey was getting worried.

“We’re almost there,” Herobrine had assured xem about half an hour ago. “Our location is almost identical to the mansion’s. I’ll be able to sense it any minute now.”

And yet,  _ thirty  _ minutes had passed, and he still hadn’t sensed a thing. 

Exhausted and hungry, Casey was about to suggest stopping for the night when he suddenly stopped dead and reached out with both hands. His face lit up.

“I can feel it!” he announced. “It’s just beyond these trees.”

“Finally,” xe sighed. “I was getting a little worried there.”

Now that he mentioned it, xe could see that the forest thinned up ahead. Xe could just barely glimpse unfiltered sunlight and what appeared to be mossy cobblestone through the trees. Xe quickened xir pace, eager to see the mansion Herobrine had been hyping up for the past three days.

“Although . . .” he trailed off, brow furrowed. “Something’s . . .  _ different _ . . .”

And without another word, he darted forward and vanished.

“Bri!” xe cried, exasperated, and ran after him. Twigs and leaves crunched loudly underfoot. Xe focused on the ground beneath xem, watching for any roots or protruding rocks that could trip xem. Finally, xe broke free of the forest and bent over with xir hands on xir knees, gasping for breath.

“What was all that about?” xe protested, and straightened.

What xe saw wasn’t a mansion. Instead, xe found xemself looking upon a vast area of overlapping craters marked the ground, like a giant had used it as a punching bag. Moss and plants crept in around the edges, but the center was gray and barren. Other than crumbling chunks of cobblestone and a few ancient logs, there was nothing left. It was like a huge, dark scar marring the forest.

Xe blinked as if it were a trick of the light. It wasn’t.

Perhaps it was an illusion. Xe turned to Herobrine, just in time to watch him drop to his knees.

“It’s . . . all gone . . .” he whispered in a strange, lost tone that xe’d never heard from him before.

“I . . . how did this . . . what happened here?”

“Humans. They burned it down and what they couldn’t burn down, they blew up.”

Xe squatted next to him, staring at the colorless wasteland before them and wishing xe knew how to help. Xe had no idea how to deal with this.

“I just . . . I’m at a loss for words,” xe finally said. “And not in a good way.”

“I should have expected as much,” he muttered bitterly. “It was stupid to hope for anything else.”

His tone, so hopeless, so  _ defeated _ , felt like a knife in xir chest. Casey wished xe could just take away all the pain he had to be feeling right now.

“Do you want to just . . . keep walking?” xe suggested.

“No. We might as well explore the-the ruins,” he decided. Then, so quietly that xe was quite sure xe wasn’t meant to hear, “Can’t get any worse.”

He stood up and floated down to the bottom of one of the deeper craters. Subdued, xe picked xir way down the steep slope to join him. 

Clouds of fine gray powder rose with each footstep. The acrid scent of ash was overpowering and caught in one’s nostrils. But by far the worst part was the  _ silence. _ After days of traveling through forests, the sudden lack of birds chirping and insects buzzing was unsettling, near  _ unbearable. _ The insatiable appetite xe’d had earlier had completely left xem.

They passed through the remains of a doorway. The cobblestone walls on either side of them were about half the height they should have been. When Casey tentatively ran a finger over one, it came away coated in ash.

“Are we looking for anything in particular?” xe asked timidly, after several minutes of silently trudging through gray ash.

Herobrine shrugged and didn’t reply. Xe wrapped xir arms around xemself, uneasy. They passed a few more ruins of what used to be walls, outlining different rooms of what would have been a basement. There was something very, very eerie about walking through the silent, monochrome remains of a once-populated mansion. It made it quite easy to imagine vengeful spirits watching your every move.

“There’s a sign over here,” Herobrine said suddenly, pointing. “C’mon.”

Sure enough, there was a sign tacked to a tall fence post. Casey could make out words carved into its wooden surface, but couldn’t quite tell what they actually were. Xe followed him over to it, curious.

The moment xe got close enough to read it, xe wished xe hadn’t. Xir heart sank.

_ Rejoice! _ _   
_ _ The demon is defeated, and its deadly fortress destroyed! _ _   
_ _ Rejoice, for we are free of its evil influence! _ _   
_ __ Rejoice!

Herobrine glared at the sign in such a way that Casey half-expected it to burst into flames at any moment.

“I just don’t understand. How could anyone do  _ this, _ ” xe gestured to the devastation around them, “and think that  _ they’re _ the good guys?”

Suddenly, he sprang forward and slashed his claws across the wooden sign. The deep grooves they left behind made a large X over the entire surface and rendered the words unintelligible. Then, he tore the sign right off the fence post and broke it over his knee. The whole process took about four seconds.

The two of them were silent for a long, deeply uncomfortable moment. Herobrine was breathing hard like he’d just run a mile. Casey stared at the scattering of splinters that used to be a sign, pretending not to notice.

“Let’s make camp for the night,” he said in an icy voice. Without waiting for a response, he soared out of the ashy crater, leaving xem to clamber out after him. 

They made camp just within the forest, just a few trees away from the ruins of the mansion. Xe built a makeshift shelter under a tree and made a small campfire outside. The bright orange flames and familiar crackling was a welcome relief from the eerie gray silence of the ruins.

Xe speared a few pieces of meat on a skewer and roasted it over the fire. The delicious smell of cooking meat made xir mouth water and xir previous hunger came roaring back into xir body.

“That’s all you humans are good for, isn’t it?” Herobrine muttered, flicking a twig into the flames. “Starting fires.”

Casey flinched. There was no way he could have known about  _ that. _ He couldn’t have known what those specific words meant to xem, xem personally. It had to just be a coincidence. An unfortunate, painful coincidence.

“It certainly feels that way sometimes,” xe agreed. “Especially right now. But I know  _ I’m _ good for more things than just starting fires, and so are my friends.” That was a lie. Xe  _ hoped _ xe was good for other things too, but xe didn’t know if it was really true. “I’m sure there are others that are good for plenty of things that don’t involve fire in the slightest.”

He tossed another stick into the fire and watched it catch flame through narrow eyes.

“I’m . . . I’m really sorry, Herobrine,” xe began.

The twig in his hands cracked loudly as he snapped it in half. “You have nothing to apologize for. You didn’t do this.”

“I’m sorry that it happened. You didn’t deserve that,” Casey went on, somehow resisting the temptation to point out how he’d just implied xe was guilty by association simply by being human. 

He threw the twig-halves into the fire with a little more force than really necessary. “Are you sure? I thought I was the big, bad demon. Aren’t you afraid of my  _ evil influence? _ ”

“I think the people that talk about you like that are ridiculous,” xe replied sharply. “I’m not them, and I’d appreciate it if you stopped treating me like I am.”

Herobrine looked away and didn’t respond.

Xe deemed xir meat sufficiently cooked and tore into it eagerly. It was a little under-seasoned, and unevenly cooked, but xe was so hungry xe didn’t care. The whole thing was gone in a flash, leaving xem with only a clean skewer.

“Do you want some?” xe asked. “I can make another.”

“I’m fine.”

Casey sighed. “I’m . . . y’know I’m here for you, right? I know we haven’t known each other long, but I’m willing to— no, I  _ want _ to help however I can, even when you’re being a bit of a dick like you are right now. If that means leaving you alone, I can do that, but if you want to talk about anything or whatever, I can do that too. It’s really important to me that you know that, okay?”

Herobrine sank his claws into the dirt beneath him and shrugged.

“This is the part where you say ‘okay’ back, so I know you heard and understood what I just said,” xe said patiently.

“Okay,” he monotoned, still not meeting xir gaze.

“Good enough,” xe decided. “I’m heading in. Good night, Bri.”

He didn’t say anything in response, and Casey pretended it didn’t sting. Xe closed the shelter door softly behind xem and crawled into bed, wishing they could talk for hours before falling asleep like usual. Actually, xe was wishing for a few things, including but not limited to: wishing xe knew him better so xe knew how to help him, wishing he wasn’t taking out his frustration on xem, and of course, as always, wishing xir friends were there.

_ Today sucked. _

_ Tomorrow might be better. _

And that was why xe was trying to sleep. Everything seemed a little less awful after a good few hours of sleep.

It was hard to fall asleep when xe was so uneasy and worried, but xe was also  _ exhausted. _ Xe thought about a specific scene of a story xe wanted to write and let it block out all the negative thoughts.

Finally, xe fell asleep.

Pain seared in xir shoulder, tearing xem roughly out of xir dreams. Casey sat up with a cry, clutching at xir shoulder.

Well, xe  _ tried _ to. Xe never actually got to the crying-out part, because the moment xe opened xir mouth someone clapped a hand over it. Instinctively, xe reared back to try and bite it.

“ _ Casey! _ It’s me!” Herobrine hissed in xir ear. “Be as quiet as you can.”

Xe nodded, and he dropped his hand.

“What did you do to my shoulder?” xe whispered.

“You weren’t waking up and it was urgent. I had to use my claws.”

“Urgent? What’s going on?”

“There are five humans approaching us. Each one is coming from a different direction, so they’re in a pentagon shape, and they’re closing in. We have a few minutes before they get here.”

Fear gripped xir heart in red-hot claws. “What do we do?”

“They have no way of knowing that we know they’re coming. Whatever we do, we’ll have the element of surprise.”

“Could we escape?”

“They’d definitely see us.”

“It’s five against two, so fighting’s out.”

Herobrine snorted at that. “Oh, please. I could take five humans in my  _ sleep. _ ”

“Well, I’d like to avoid a physical altercation if possible. How about . . .” an idea took shape in Casey’s head. “What if we just pretended to be asleep? We might overhear some pertinent information, and maybe it’ll all turn out to be some kind of coincidence. And if they try to attack us, we drop the act immediately and fight back.”

“It’s worth a shot. We’re running out of time.”

“You should go invis and hang out around the ceiling or something. They’ll underestimate us if they think there’s just one person. You’ll be our secret weapon.”

“I’m good at that,” he smirked, and cast an invisibility spell on himself. The glowing eyes and smug smile were the last to disappear.

Xe pulled the blankets up over xemself, pretending to be asleep. It was hard to keep xir breathing slow and rhythmic when xir heart was pounding almost painfully against xir ribs. Xe wished xir shoulder didn’t hurt so much.

With every passing moment, xir anxiety rose higher. It started feeling like a physical blade in xir chest.

Then xe heard the footsteps. And then voices outside.

The door opened. Xe froze instinctively and had to force xemself to keep xir breathing even.

“No visible traps, sir. Proceeding,” an unknown voice murmured. “Two beds, but only one person.”

“Someone might be invisible. Feel around,” said another voice.

“Yes, sir.”

Casey could hear boots shuffling on the floor right next to xem.  _ Please don’t find him, please don’t find him, please don’t find him. _

“All clear. Checking the person’s face now, sir.”

Someone tugged xir blanket down and held a torch close to xir face. Xe frowned slightly and made a faint rasping noise in the back of xir throat, trying to act as a sleeping person would.

“It’s Stepper, sir.”

Xir breath hitched and xe played it off as a sleepy snuffle.  _ They know me by name. Oh stars, oh stars, oh stars, what do I do this is bad this is really  _ ** _really_ ** _ bad— _

“Alright,” said the second voice after a moment’s pause. “Perimeter’s clear. Knock ‘em out and let’s get on the road.”

“Yes, sir.”

Actually being asleep was not part of the plan. Xir heart raced, xir mind buzzing. Xe was rapidly losing control of xir breathing. Xe didn’t have much time.

There was only one thing to do.

Casey tensed, sucked in a huge breath, and shot upright. “Bri, help!”

Xe had a split second to take in the situation. There was a broad-shouldered man with a full beard standing next to xir bed, clad in iridescent iron armor and holding a bow with a tranquilizer arrow notched. His mouth was open in an O of shock.

Then, three things happened in quick succession. His helmet lifted off his head seemingly of its own accord. He yelped and clapped a hand to his own neck. And he lurched forward suddenly as if struck from behind and fell to the floor.

Herobrine appeared over him, wiping blood from his mouth with the back of a hand.

The owner of the second voice, the one the man now on the floor had called “sir”, stepped into the shelter. “What’s going—  _ OH, WHAT THE FUCK— _ ”

Herobrine pounced on the man the way a wolf pounces on its prey. His momentum carried them both just out of the shelter. Casey heard people begin to shout outside.

Xe peered at the man on the floor with concern. Xe didn’t want to leave an enemy that could get up later and surprise them.

“That wasss so rude,” he slurred. He was trying to get up, but seemed to have forgotten how to use his limbs. “Can you ‘magine treaching a stranger like that?”

No, he wasn’t getting up any time soon. Xe pulled on xir diamond helmet — there was no time for anything else — and rushed out the door. 

Xe got outside just in time to see Herobrine  _ throw  _ the man the first man had called “sir” several meters. He slammed back-first into a tree and collapsed. Casey hoped he was only unconscious.

Two of the five foes were out of the picture already. But the remaining three soldiers still outnumbered them, and they were all wearing solid-looking iron armor, iridescent with enchantments. Each was armed with a spear and sword, and one had a bow too. They all looked determined rather than concerned.

It was three well-trained soldiers with the finest of equipment against two unarmored and unarmed fugitives, one of whom could barely fight. They didn’t have a chance.

“They’ve got us outnumbered and out-geared,” xe babbled, voice edged with despair. Xe was starting to hyperventilate. “What do we do?”

Xe turned to Herobrine. Surely he could get them out of this.

Rather than panic, or grim resignment, or any of the emotions xe expected to see on his face, he was  _ smiling. _ A wide, rather manic grin that displayed sharp teeth and bloodied fangs.

“Finally,” he breathed. That horrible twist was in his voice again. “Humans I can really  _ fight! _ ”

Casey had never actually seen him fight. In the desert city, he’d dealt with the guards through intimidation and a single spell. The way he’d taken down the stalser had been impressive, but xe could tell he was playing it up a bit for the drama. When they sparred, xe knew he went easy on xem, but didn’t know just how easy. 

Xe had no idea how fast he really was, or what he could really do with his superhuman strength. Xe didn’t know he could weave spells into combat so quickly and easily.

He charged the soldier to his right without hesitation, claws poised. The soldier hefted their spear and started running too, planning to meet him in the middle.

Then, somehow, xe lost sight of him. The soldier stopped dead, clearly bewildered. He’d been sprinting right for them and then suddenly, he just wasn’t.

And then the soldier in the middle screamed. Herobrine tore their helmet off and chucked it at the left-most soldier’s head. It hit its target with a metallic  _ CLUNG! _ and the soldier crumpled with a pained shriek. One down.

Before the left-most soldier had even cried out, he’d bitten the middle soldier’s neck and sprang away just as fast, leaping into the air and knocking them to the ground with a single well-aimed kick to the head. Two down.

Only the right-most soldier, the one he’d originally attacked, remained upright. He pointed one clawed finger at them and thundered a spell. They dropped their spear and slumped to the ground, unconscious. Three down.

It took him about fifteen seconds.

By now, the soldier who’d taken his comrade’s helmet to the head was standing up. Blood trickled from a wound on his temple and soaked one eyebrow. He swayed, leaning heavily on his sword for support.

Herobrine was on him in an instant. He ripped the sword from his hands and threw it across the clearing, where it impaled a tree trunk and got stuck, blade quivering. Before the soldier could even comprehend the loss of his weapon, Herobrine grabbed him by the shirt collar, yanking him upright.

“Who sent you?” he barked.

The soldier struggled for a moment, but to no avail. He swallowed and bravely met Herobrine’s gaze. “The Erators.”

Casey gasped like xe’d been hit, but Herobrine didn’t seem fazed.

“Why?”

“A knight never educates the enemy.”

“Oh, you’re a knight?” his voice melted from hard and growly to smooth and buttery in an instant. He lifted his free hand and inspected the claws meaningfully. “Maybe tonight will be fun, after all. See, I have a lot of scores to settle against your kind. Tell me, are you especially fond of your depth perception? Because you’re about, oh, maybe ten seconds from losing it? Are the Erators  _ really _ paying you enough to make up for that loss?”

The soldier — er, knight, apparently — had fallen silent. His wide eyes were following Herobrine’s claws.

“You’d regret it,” he choked out. “The Erators would hear about it and they’d bring you to justice.”

Herobrine laughed. “ _ Those _ pathetic wanna-be’s? They couldn’t touch me. Why, even if the Erators did pull it off, it’d be too late for you, wouldn’t it?”

His claws dipped closer to the knight’s face. The knight in question scrunched his eyes closed.

“There’ve been rumors,” he blurted, voice shaking. “Rumors that Stepper was causing trouble with a white-eyed humanoid. We were sent to collect Stepper and return them to the Erators for questioning.”

Casey could barely breathe.  _ Rumors — sent to collect me — sent to return me to the Erators — this is it, this is how I lose it all —  _

“And how did you find us?”

“Our best scholars said the white-eyed humanoid might be something known as Herobrine. We found a bunch of locations associated with it and cross-referenced that with places we knew Stepper had been to try and narrow it down. We’ve been camped out in the general area for days now.”

“Good enough,” Herobrine decided, and sank his teeth into the knight’s neck.

“OW! What the hell!” the knight complained. He stumbled and fell the ground. “That hurt. And after I told you classsfied infermation and efferything . . .”

“The sedative takes a second to really take effect,” Herobrine explained, walking towards xem. For some reason, he sounded like maybe xe was hearing him from underwater.

“This is bad. This is really,  _ really _ bad,” Casey heard xemself say. It was so hard to breathe. Xe couldn’t feel xir hands.

_ They’re coming for me they’re coming for me they’re coming for me this is the end the Erators are after me they’re coming  _ ** _this is the end they’re coming for me—_ **

“Hey, hey, easy now. Look at me.”

Xe heard someone talking, but couldn’t make out the words over the torrent of jagged panic thoughts filling xir head.  _ This is the end this is the end  _ ** _this is the end this is the end this is the end this is the end— _ **

“LOOK AT ME.”

Someone grabbed xir wrists and yanked them upwards. Startled, Casey looked up. Xe was on hands and knees on the ground, but xe didn’t remember getting there. Herobrine was on his knees before xem, xir hands in his, with a concerned expression on his face.

“Focus on me,” he was saying. “I’m your anchor. Breathe.”

“I — the — I can’t—” xe gasped.

“Shhh. Just breathe. Three seconds in, hold it for two, three seconds out. Like this,” he demonstrated. “Concentrate on what you can physically feel, and breathe.”

_ Just breathe. _ Xe closed xir eyes and focused on the sensation of someone holding xir hands, the warmth and pressure and comfort of it.  _ Just breathe. _

“That’s it. Now we’re gonna breathe in for six seconds, hold it for four, and breathe out for six, okay?”

His voice was so gentle, especially compared to the icy tone he’d used on xem earlier that night. Xe hadn’t known his voice could even be so gentle. Slowly, xe got xir breathing under control.

“Now, open your eyes and start naming things you can see.”

“You . . . the grass . . . my hands . . . the sky, the stars, the trees, the shelter . . . I-I think I’m okay now.”

“Good,” he nodded, dropping xir hands.

“Thank you,” Casey rasped, wiping at xir wet cheeks. Xe hadn’t noticed the tears streaming down xir face. “Sorry about that.”

“Of course,” he said smoothly. Xe realized with a jolt of shock that his lips and chin were smeared with quite a lot of blood, and that two thick lines of it ran from either corner of his mouth.  _ Well, duh. Biting necks isn’t the cleanest method of knocking people out. _

“What . . . what we do?”

“Well, you’re not falling asleep anytime soon now anyway, so I say we get some ground covered. You get walking and I’ll deal with all these unconscious bodies, then catch up with you.”

“No, I mean— wait, you’re not gonna . . . kill them? Right?”

“No, I was just gonna leave them at the bottom of a nearby cave system. What did you mean?”

“I mean, what are we gonna  _ do? _ They’re — the  _ Erators _ are after us. When these soldiers come back to them, and tell them what we did . . . the deal’s gonna be off, and they’re gonna put up wanted posters again, and — and, what if they do something to my friends? Just to—”

“Stop! That’s not helpful. You’re just gonna give yourself a panic attack.”

“I . . . I’m . . .” xe blinked furiously against the tears that threatened to spill from xir eyes. “I’m  _ scared, _ Bri.”

Xe hated the way xir voice cracked, and hated xemself for crying in front of someone —  _ twice! _ — but there was nothing xe could do about it.

“First of all, at the  _ very _ least, we have a few weeks before the Erators realize the rumors are true. And then, we might not even be their top priority—” Casey scoffed at that, “—and they have to find us first to hurt us. Same with your friends. Hell, worst case scenario: we’re public enemy number one and they immediately send mercenary after mercenary after us. Do you really think anything’s gonna happen to us while I’m here? I just  _ destroyed _ a squadron of five elite soldiers — excuse me,  _ knights~ _ — with nothing but my teeth and a single sleeping spell. We’ll be okay. Everything’s gonna be alright.”

Casey took a deep breath.  _ Everything’s gonna be alright. Everything’s gonna be alright.  _ ** _Everything’s gonna be alright._ **

“You’re right. That helps, thank you.”

“What did you . . . nevermind. I’ll tell you later. For now, you should get moving.”

“I . . . don’t want to go alone,” xe admitted. “I want to stay with you.”

“You sure? Lugging unconscious soldiers down to bedrock level isn’t very entertaining.”

“I don’t care. I-I can’t be alone right now.”

“Fair enough. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

He wasn’t lying. It  _ was _ pretty boring. Xe hung back, wishing xe could help, as he dragged each knight down to a cavern near the bottom of the world, one by one. Neither of them seemed inclined to conversation. Luckily, Herobrine was nothing if not efficient, and the task was over quickly.

Casey gathered up xir things and the two of them started walking North. Xe normally found forests comforting and calming, but in the quiet darkness, it just seemed . . . lonely. Xe wished xir friends were there.

“Y’know,” Herobrine began suddenly. “It was  _ so _ tempting to use the phrase ‘eye for an eye’ in some way while threatening that knight. I was talking about revenge, threatening to claw an eye out, it would have been the perfect pun. But I resisted.”

Casey laughed, but not as much as xe would have normally. “Um, actually, that reminds me . . . you weren’t . . . actually gonna take that guy’s eye out, were you?”

“What? No, of course not. If he’d managed to actually do some damage to either of us, maybe.”

“Okay. Thanks.” That was a relief. Watching him threaten someone with such ease had been . . . uncomfortable, to say the least.

Xe didn’t know how long they walked, but xir exhaustion soon began to outweigh the panic and adrenaline from earlier. When xe started tripping over own xir feet because xe didn’t have the energy to lift them high enough, xe called it quits. Herobrine led xem to the closest cave, and xe collapsed into xir bed without hesitation. Casey fell asleep quickly, so quickly xe didn’t have the chance to wish for xir friends’ presence.

It was a deep sleep, too. Deep enough that xe didn’t notice when Herobrine checked to make sure xe was truly asleep, slipped the iron sword from xir pack, and vanished. Much, much later, when he reappeared and silently returned the sword, xe didn’t notice that either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, so I've had this chapter written for a while, but revising it was kicking my ASS. I only just now managed to get it to a point where I can tolerate it. It's definitely not my best chapter, but it gets the job done.
> 
> What do you think of the mansion, or Casey and Herobrine's reactions to it? Or of the knights and what their presence could mean for our dear protagonists? Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback and I cherish every comment! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/
> 
> The characters of this story have an ask blog! Ask 'em anything at https://askthedaylight.tumblr.com/


	20. Gray Day

Casey woke up exhausted. Xe slid out of bed and sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, massaging xir temples with both hands. Xe’d forgotten how agonizing mornings were when one only got a few hours of sleep.

Something tapped xir shoulder. Xe looked up and wordlessly accepted the steaming mug of black tea and plate of fried eggs Herobrine pressed into xir hands.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Casey rasped. “How late is it?”

“You needed the sleep. And it’s only a few hours past when you normally get up,” he answered.

Xe sipped the tea, trying to ignore the sense of dread and hopelessness weighing heavily on xir shoulders. The familiar sensation had faded with Herobrine by xir side, but now it was back in full force. It felt like a pickaxe constantly chipping away at xir very mind.

“What’re we gonna do?” xe asked. “Today, I mean.”

“Well, technically today should be a rest day—”

“No!” xe interrupted, panic flaring in xir chest. “We need to get as far from the knights as possible. W-we can’t rest today.”

“It’ll take ‘em a bit to get out of that cave. And they probably won’t even remember finding us. There’s an amnesiac in the sedative I knocked them out with.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, remember when you went beserk and I tranquilized you by accident? Can you recall anything from that morning? Like, what I said that made you go nuts in the first place?”

“It was something about my friends, wasn’t it?”

“It was, but I told you that afterwards. Do you know the exact words I used?”

Casey pondered that for a moment. Come to think of it, at the time xe’d thought xe’d simply slept in super late. Xe couldn’t remember what he’d said, or what they’d had for breakfast that morning, or anything. It was quite disconcerting.

“That’s kinda creepy, Herobrine.”

“My bad. Next time I’ll just let them kidnap you,” he retorted. 

“That’s not what—” xe broke off with a sigh. Lack of sleep made xem irritable, and suddenly xe found Herobrine’s usual sarcasm deeply infuriating rather than mildly amusing.

Casey devoured the eggs quickly, anxious to get traveling. Then, xe stood up, stretched, and began deconstructing their little hide-out. Xe’d barely had the energy to set up xir bed last night, so there wasn’t much to pack up.

“Can we skip sparring today?” xe asked. “I really want to get on the road as soon as possible. We need to cover as much ground as we can.”

“I suppose,” Herobrine sighed. He looked like he wanted to say more, but decided against it.

“Great,” xe said, pulling on xir pack. “Now, where’re we headed?”

“To a city about a week, maybe week and a half, North of here. It’s well-known for its great blacksmiths, and of course, I’ve got history there.”

“Another city?” xe groaned. “If it weren’t for the first city, those knights would have never found us.”

“It’ll be well worth the risk.” A flicker of something raw and bitter crossed his face. “Besides, y’know, we could always get there and everything’s razed to the ground.”

Xe winced, but didn’t protest further. “Lead the way.”

He nodded and soared ahead of xem. They hadn’t made camp very deep in the cave, and it only took one right turn and a gentle upward slope to reach the surface once again. Casey found it concerning, honestly. They needed to hide much better next time, especially with mercenaries after them.

Outside, it was one of those days where clouds covered the entire sky so it was pale gray and too bright to stare at, but didn’t shed enough light to give anything hard highlights or shadows. It was Casey’s least favorite weather pattern, and right now xe found it quite fitting.

Herobrine paused and closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded and continued forward.

“Are you sure that’s North?” xe asked. “It’s hard to tell without knowing where the sun is in the sky.”

He turned to glare at xem disparagingly, eyes narrowed to indignant white slits. “I can sense every cave system and patch of diamond ore under our feet and  _ shoot fireballs out of my hands, _ and you think I can’t tell which way is North?”

Xe glared back, not in nearly a good enough mood to humor him.

They walked quietly under the gray sky for several minutes. Casey was lost in thought, trying to come to a solution without thinking about the problem. The idea of having soldiers personally hired by the Erators chasing xem was so horrifying and panic-inducing that xe didn’t want to think about it, but so  _ big _ that xe didn’t have a choice.

_ They’ll find me any minute now, and then it’ll all be over. _

_ Herobrine can defend us. _

_ But they’ll find us again. And again. He can’t defend us forever, and the second he slips they’ll take me to the Erators. I’m never gonna see my friends again. _

_ No, focus. You can’t think like that. You have to have hope. _

“Casey?” Herobrine said suddenly, breaking the silence between them.

Xe blinked, disoriented. “Hm?”

“You’re really worried about those knights, huh?”

“No shit,” xe snapped. “No, no, I just love it when I draw the Erators’ attention —  _ again _ — and they send an elite team of knights after me. An elite team that is currently coming for us  _ right now. _ ”

“Casey—”

“Why are you treating me like I’m crazy for feeling this way? You should be worried too! Do you know what’ll happen if we somehow end up in the Erators’ hands? Do you know, Herobrine? We’ll—”

“CASEY!”

Xe stopped, startled into silence. He grabbed xir hands and squeezed them reassuringly.

“They’re not going to find us. I promise. Even if they could, I’d kick their asses as easily as I did this time. But they can’t, and they’re not going to, so that’s not even a worry. Okay?”

“How can you be so sure?” xe asked weakly.

“This isn’t my first time dealing with knights after me. Not even my second or third. When I say I know how to do this, I mean it.”

His voice was soothing, but firm, and his hands were warm and comforting around xirs. Xe met his empty white eyes and couldn’t see anything but honesty in them. Though, frankly, it was hard to focus on the eyes when xe was so distracted by the sensation of xir hands in his.

_ I don’t believe you. I  _ ** _can’t _ ** _ believe you, _ Casey realized.  _ I want to, I really want to, but I just can’t. _

Xe didn’t tell him that.

“Okay,” xe said instead, offering him a warm smile. “Thank you.”

He smiled back and released xir hands. Xe didn’t like deceiving him, but xe didn’t have the energy to deal with all the emotions and tension the truth would bring. It was easier to let him believe xir worries had been assuaged.

After everything that had happened yesterday, it seemed neither of them were up for conversation. They walked without really talking until xe lost track of time. A few times, one would mention something and the other would go along with it for a moment, but these tiny interactions never lasted long.

Casey would have been happy to keep moving all day, but evidently Herobrine had other plans. They’d only been traveling a few minutes when he paused and grabbed xir arm to keep xem from walking further.

“What? Why are we stopping?” xe asked, yanked abruptly from xir own thoughts and rather annoyed about it.

“Because it’s time for lunch?”

“What? It’s been like, five minutes.”

“It’s  _ been  _ like four hours.”

Whoa. Xe hadn’t realized just how lost xe’d been in xir daydreams. Xe hadn’t noticed how much time had passed at all.

“Well, I mean, do we  _ need _ lunch? We need to cover as much—”

“Yes, we do. Do  _ not _ try and fight me on this, human.”

Casey sighed and sat cross-legged on the grass to have some lunch. Xe ate quickly, much to Herobrine’s annoyance. As soon as possible, xe was back on xir feet, ready to get back on the road.

Though xe didn’t notice it, their surroundings were gradually changing. The air was a little colder, the grass a chillier hue. The trees grew taller and taller as they advanced further North, with darker and darker bark.

Slowly, the sky became dimmer. The clouds began to thin a bit, displaying narrow streaks of blue. By evening, they’d thinned enough that the sun managed to shine through. Casey closed xir eyes and welcomed the warm light on xir face. For the first time all day, xe felt some of xir fear and paranoia die down. When xe opened them, the setting sun made the forest look like it’d been dipped in gold.

They walked as the sun faded from gold to orange and finally to scarlet. They walked until it finally disappeared over the horizon. The light faded quickly, until suddenly xe could barely make out the nearest tree.

“Let’s stop here for the night,” Herobrine suggested. “Here, you can build the shelter between those two trees.”

“Actually, I’d rather make camp in a cave tonight,” Casey admitted. _ Just in case the knights are after us. We need to be nice and hidden. _ “I just . . . don’t feel up for building the shelter tonight.”

He gave xem a long, searching look, then nodded and beckoned xem forward. “There’s one nearby.”

Xe followed him through the trees, tripping over tree roots and stray twigs numerous times in the low light. He led xem to a wide cave entrance that grew narrower and narrower the deeper they delved until they had to squeeze through a tiny crevice. On the other side, they found a long, thin room just big enough to make camp in.

Xe stuck the beds in the far end and set up the furnace near the crevice to cook supper. Herobrine found some leftovers in xir pack and the two of them threw together some slapdash stew.

They played uno while eating the stew, but neither of their hearts were really in it. Casey was so distracted xe forgot to call uno and Herobrine made xem draw two cards. Xe ended up winning anyways, thanks to the help of a wild +4, but xe didn’t find a lot of satisfaction in it.

They bade each other good night and flopped into xir respective beds.

Just like that, the day was over. Xe’d spent the whole thing in a daze, barely aware of what was around xem. It felt weird to have such a normal day after the events of yesterday. Herobrine seemed a little subdued, but other than that, everything was pretty much the same as ever.

Xe rolled over with a sigh. As expected, xe’d felt sleepy the entire day and then alert the second xir head hit the pillow. It was infuriating.

Xe tossed and turned for quite a bit, actually. Casey wasn’t sure how much time exactly had passed, but xe guessed at least an hour. Xe just wasn’t tired. Xe wasn’t  _ satisfied. _ They didn’t cover  _ nearly _ enough ground, in xir opinion. If they’d kept going overnight, maybe . . .

That was it. Xe wasn’t tired  _ and  _ xe wanted to travel farther. The solution? Sneak out and keep walking through the night.

Casey glanced at Herobrine’s sleeping form. Xe could see his chest rising and falling with each breath, slow and rhythmic. He was definitely asleep. Xe slipped out of bed as quietly as xe could, the bits and pieces of a plan coming together in xir head.

First, xe left a note. Xe grabbed a slip of paper and a redstone torch and hid under the bed. Hopefully the dim light, mostly blocked by the bed, wouldn’t wake him.

_ Couldn’t sleep so I walked more at night. Go North and you’ll find me. _ _   
_ _ -Casey _

Perfect. Xe extinguished the torch and glanced up. Herobrine was still sleeping. Next, xe pulled on xir armor. Every time it clanked or jingled, xe froze, but it didn’t seem to wake him. Xe donned xir inventory pack and squeezed through the claustrophobic crevice separating their camp from the rest of the cave.

Once out, Casey lit a torch, checked xir sword — yup, still on xir hip — and trotted for the cave entrance.

Outside, it was a beautiful, clear night. The air was cool, but pleasantly so. The clouds had all vanished, revealing countless stars. Under normal circumstances, xe would have been happy to sit back and stargaze for hours, but these weren’t normal circumstances.

Xe took a deep breath, braced xemself, and began walking. It didn’t take long for xem to walk outside Herobrine’s sensing distance. His dreams turned to nightmares.

It was oddly quiet without the din of birds chirping and bees buzzing. There’s a surreal, dream-like quality to doing things outside one’s normal routine in the dead of night, and Casey felt it now. The forest didn’t quite feel real.

In the unusual silence, the rattle of a nearby skeleton was jarringly loud by comparison. Xe jumped and quickened xir pace, hoping to avoid a confrontation. It seemed to work, because xe didn’t hear it again.

Only a few minutes later, however, xe heard a zombie groaning. This time, it stepped out from behind a tree and stood in xir path before xe could get past it.

One zombie wasn’t really a problem, even for someone who’d been walking non-stop for more than a day. Xe cut it down easily.

It was the other seven lumbering closer and closer that were a problem.

Xe couldn’t fight them all. Xe’d have to run. Backtracking would waste too much time and going around them but giving them too wide a berth might end up attracting more zombies. 

Casey brandished xir sword and charged forward. Xe slashed at the zombie at xir right, driving it back, and kept running.

The zombie on xir left, however, flung itself into xir path. Xe couldn’t stop in time and crashed into it full tilt, gagging on the smell of rotten flesh. It pawed at xir shoulder, but xe managed to shove it away and stumble backwards, breathing hard. Adrenaline and fear heightened all xir senses.

The one to xir right snatched xir forearm, then another from the left clawed at xir other arm. Casey spun, whirling xir blade around xem to force the night monsters back. The moment the space around xem was cleared, xe scrambled backwards.

Suddenly, xir back was against a tree. The seven zombies were closing in, dark claws reaching for xem. Xe was trapped. Nowhere to run.

Casey raised xir sword threateningly. Xe’d have to fight xir way out. There was no way xe was getting out unscathed.

The zombies crept closer and closer. They were almost within slashing distance. Xe could barely hear their groaning over the blood roaring in xir ears. It felt like xir heart was about to beat out of xir chest.

And then they stopped.

Their heads all swiveled to the left.

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, they turned and shuffled away.

Xe didn’t lower xir sword until xe couldn’t see them anymore. Xir breath left xem with a heavy  _ whoosh. _

_ What the fuck. What the FUCK. _

Xe’d never seen zombies — or any night beast, for that matter — do that before. Maybe there was someone else out there that the zombies were more interested in? In that case, should xe help them? What if it was one of the knights?

A shadow crossed the forest floor and xe flinched.  _ What was that? _

Casey glanced up and gasped involuntarily. There was— no, wait, it was gone.

Just for a moment, xe’d glimpsed a figure hanging in the night sky. Xe hadn’t even had the chance to blink before it had disappeared.

_ I must be seeing things, _ xe realized.  _ How tired am I? _

And then xe heard someone speak directly behind xem.

Instinct took over. Casey screamed, whirled, and brought xir blade down on the voice. Eyes scrunched tightly shut, xe felt, rather than saw, the sword somehow tear itself free of xir grip. Xe had just enough time to think _ well, fuck, _ before something grabbed xir hands and shoved xem backwards at the same time. Just like that, xir back was against the tree again, xir wrists pinned to the bark over xir head.

Xe opened xir eyes but at first couldn’t make out anything but blinding white light. Xe squinted, trying to see around the bright light.

“You are the stupidest human I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting,” Herobrine growled. 

Xe couldn’t look him in the eye. Not out of shame or anything, but just because his eyes were glowing so brightly they hurt to look at.

“Hi Herobrine,” Casey said weakly.

He released xir hands and stepped back. Xe rubbed at xir stinging wrists, suddenly apprehensive. His chest was heaving and xe’d never seen him wear a darker expression.

“Let’s follow your thought process for a second here,” he suggested in a calm, icy tone. “You decided it would be a good idea to go  _ traipsing _ through the woods,  _ alone, _ at  _ NIGHT. _ Why, in the name of the stars, would you do that?”

By the time he got to “woods”, his tone was no longer calm. Xe shrunk back against the tree, stifling a whimper.

“Do you have  _ any _ idea what its like waking up and the signature that’s been right next to you for two weeks is just  _ gone? _ ”

There was no semblance of composure now. He was almost shouting, his sharp teeth bared in an angry snarl. It was the eyes that really got to xem. Xe’d never felt the full force of that white-eyed glare before and xe never wanted to feel it again.

“I—”

“What would have happened if I hadn’t gotten here in time? What would have happened?”

“I-I-I don’t — I, um—”

“You’d be dead or mortally wounded right now. You could have died tonight. You could have  _ died tonight, _ Casey!”

On the second “died tonight”, he gestured furiously and then there was a  _ noise, _ a noise so  _ big _ that xe flinched and instinctively covered xir face. Breathing hard, a spike of fear lodged in xir chest, xe lowered xir arms.

The forest was . . . lighter? There were way less shadows than there’d been a moment ago, and xe could see much more of the sky than xe expected.

The trees. Something was wrong with the trees.

Herobrine had stripped the trees of all their limbs and leaves. Only blank trunks remained, pointing to the sky like a giant’s spears.

It took Casey a moment to compose xemself, and even then xir voice was much too shaky for xir liking. “Bri, y-you’re kinda—”

“Scaring you, I know,” he interrupted. At least he wasn’t shouting anymore. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean to do the tree thing. It just kinda happens.”

“It’s alright, I just—” xe paused to wipe xir eyes, “I just  _ really _ hate being yelled at. It’s not your fault.”

“Well, I really hate waking up to find my only conversational companion for kilometers missing without a trace, so I guess we’re even.”

Xe didn’t know how to reply to that, so xe decided not to.

He rubbed his face with both hands. He didn’t seem angry anymore, just . . .  _ tired. _ Xe felt a pang of guilt at making him feel that way. “We’re both exhausted. Let’s find some shelter.”

Xe nodded and trudged after him as he led xem through the trees at a brisk pace, stopping only to pick xir sword off the ground. For a while, neither of them said anything. The only sound was their footsteps and the occasional night monster. Once, a curious skeleton poked its head around a nearby tree, but Herobrine shot it a glare so ferocious its skull reflected the light back at them, momentarily blinding Casey. Slowly, xe became aware of stinging pain in xir forearms and one shoulder, and guessed the zombies’ claws had gotten to xem after all.

“Hey, uh, thanks for rescuing me back there,” xe said quietly. “Whether I got out alive or not, either way you, um, you saved me a lot of pain. I owe you one.”

“You can show your thanks by never doing that again,” he replied dryly.

“That’s fair,” xe laughed nervously.

“We’re here,” he announced abruptly, pointing towards another cave entrance. This one was much narrower and twisted down at a much steeper angle.

For the second time that night, he led xem down into a cave to make camp. This time, they had to explore quite a bit deeper before finding a suitable area to take shelter in. Herobrine set up the beds and sat down on one with a heavy sigh. Xe sat on the other, shifting awkwardly.

“I’m . . .” Casey began, only to trail off. Xe swallowed and tried again. “I’m really,  _ really _ sorry about . . . just this whole thing. I . . . I really thought it’d be okay, and I wouldn’t run into anything I couldn’t handle. That was, uh, poor judgement on my part.”

“You were sleep-deprived and scared. There was no thought happening,” he pointed out. “You had a dumb idea and you just went for it.”

“That— okay, yeah, you’re probably right about that,” xe agreed.

“It’s alright. I just . . . what would I do— er, what would your friends do if I hadn’t gotten there in time? You really s—concerned me, is all,” he looked down at his hands, avoiding xir gaze.

“I know. It was really stupid of me. I was just — I still am, actually — just  _ so _ worried about the knights,” xe confessed. “I know we talked about this, but it didn’t really help. I know you’re probably right, but it doesn’t  _ feel _ that way, y’know? I just — I just can’t shake the idea that they’re after us right now, that they’re gonna be waiting for us at our next stop.”

Casey groaned and put xir head in xir hands. It felt good to get that off xir chest but it also sounded so dumb when xe said it out loud.  _ I know I shouldn’t be scared of them. Why am I still scared of them? _

“I know all about that,” Herobrine sighed. “Your conscious brain might know what’s up, but your subconscious hasn’t quite caught up yet, so it makes you feel all shitty for no reason.”

“It sucks.”

“It sure does.”

Xe stood up in the lull in conversation to take off xir armor. The wound on xir shoulder burned when xe lifted xir arms above xir head, and xe hissed with pain. Xe carefully stacked the armor by xir pack and sat back down on the edge of the bed.

“I didn’t mean to worry you so much,” xe mumbled. “I didn’t expect you to care, actually.”

He shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I? I’ve gotta keep you alive, remember? Speaking of, let me look at those scratches.”

“What? They’re just scratches!” xe protested. “I’ll be fine. They don’t need tending to.”

“Do you want a painful infection slowly sapping the life from your body?” he asked, reaching for xir arm.

Xe pulled away from his hand. “It’s not that big of a deal. They’re not—”

Herobrine gripped xir wrist so tightly it hurt. “I will tie you to the bed so I can look at them if I have to. Don’t tempt me, human.”

“Fine,” xe growled.

He murmured a spell and several bottles full of water appeared on the floor next to him. He selected one of each and closed the space between xem to kneel at xir feet. Then, he grabbed xir hand and inspected the scratches on that forearm. They were an angry red, already starting to swell.

“See those black specks?” he pointed with his free hand. “That’s zombie-bits you don’t want in your system.”

Without further warning, he uncorked a water bottle with his teeth and poured its contents over the scratches. Xe hissed and instinctively recoiled, but his hand kept xir arm firmly in place. Then, he pressed two fingers to the injury and hissed another spell. A tiny red spark jumped from his hand to the spot he was healing. Casey struggled not to shudder as it took effect. It wasn’t painful, but  _ infuriatingly _ itchy, like a bee sting that’s almost healed but not quite. Then, the sensation faded, and when xe glanced back down, the scratches were gone. All that remained were faint marks only a shade paler than xir skin.

“And those’ll probably fade as well,” he told xem. “Other arm.”

Xe held out xir other arm obligingly. There was something nice about his grip on xem, gentle but firm, and warm against xir skin. It was weird having him care for xem like this. It was always a pleasant surprise having someone clean up one’s scratches, but when the someone was Herobrine, it was a little surreal. It felt . . .  _ cozy. _ Almost domestic. Those were not adjectives xe was expecting to associate with him, well, ever, but especially not after his fury earlier that night.

Honestly, xe kinda liked it. It made xem feel all warm and soft inside.

“Done!” he announced, bringing xem back to reality.

“Oh, there’s one on my shoulder too,” Casey recalled. “I think one of the zombies managed to get their claws under my armor.”

He stood up, hopped into bed, and sat cross-legged behind xem. “Whoof, yeah. This one might sting a little.”

Xe didn’t flinch once as he cleaned the wound, though xe did tense a few times. He used a more water on that scratch than he did on all the others combined.

“Casey?” he began suddenly.

“Yeah?”

“If I told you that something . . . happened, to those knights, that would ensure they won’t be coming after us for a good long while, would that help?”

Xir blood ran cold. “You didn’t— you said you wouldn’t— are-are they dead?”

“No! No, no, no. I didn’t kill them.”

“Then what did— what ‘happened’ to them?”

“I . . . I can’t tell you.”

“This  _ really _ sounds like you killed them.”

“I didn’t! Casey, I promise I didn’t. I’m sure they’re still alive and well. I just . . . I can’t tell you what happened.”

“How do I know you’re not just making something up?” xe asked helplessly.

“I’m not. I swear on the stars.”

That was not a small oath. It was said that if one broke a star vow, the stars themselves would find a way to punish them.

“How much can you tell me?” xe said finally.

“They’re not dead. But they won’t be coming after us for a  _ while _ . They’re really . . . confused right now. It’ll take ‘em quite a while to regroup, and the entire time we’ll be on the move. Seriously, I don’t think they’ll ever find us. I know it’s gonna take a bit for that to sink in, but just, trust me. We’re gonna be okay.”

Casey took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “And you swear on the stars?”

“I swear on the stars.”

“Okay. I believe you. It is probably gonna take a few days to really feel like it, though.”

“Hold on, this is gonna feel real weird,” Herobrine warned, and xe felt his fingers on the scratch on xir shoulder. He uttered a spell.

This time, it felt more like being stung by a bee than a bee sting that was healing. Xe instinctively tried to clap xir hand over xir shoulder, but he blocked xem. Xe writhed in place, biting down hard on xir tongue like it would distract xem from the fire in xir shoulder (it didn’t).

But then, just like that, it was over. Xe relaxed, gasping for breath like xe’d run a mile.

“I did warn you,” he remarked, patting xir back comfortingly.

“Herobrine?” xe asked. Something about the situation had reminded xem of something he’d said earlier. “Can I ask you a sorta personal question?”

“Go nuts,” he answered warily.

“What  _ does _ it feel like to have a signature you’re used to go missing?”

He scooched forward so he was sitting next to xem on the edge of the bed. “Well, this is the first time I’ve ever felt it. I don’t normally spend weeks at a time hanging out with one human, and one human alone. But it feels like . . .” he paused, searching for the right words. “Like, if you just woke up one day and the color red was missing. You know what it looked like, so you know that apples and blood and redstone shouldn’t look the way they do now, but . . . they do. Or maybe, let’s say you’re rereading a book you know really well because you reread it all the time. But this time, when you read it, a big scene, a really important chapter, is just missing. The rest of the book continues like normal but it’s all wrong now without that part.”

He looked away, shoulders hunched. “In the . . . the Place Beyond the Void, there’s just nothing. No grass, no dirt, no humans, nothing. I’m used to having you right next to me, so normally if I’m . . . worried, for whatever reason, that maybe I’m back there, I focus on your signature because I know that if you’re there, that place isn’t. So when I woke up and reached for your signature and couldn’t feel it, I thought— for a second, I thought, maybe I was . . .”

“Oh, Bri,” Casey shook xir head.  _ How could I do that to him? _ “I’m so, so sorry. I never meant to make you feel like that.”

“You didn’t know. But don’t get me wrong, you should feel bad. Don’t ever do that to me again.”

It was a joke, but they both knew there was truth in it.

“I won’t,” xe promised. “It won’t ever happen again.”

“It better not,” he threatened. And then, in a quieter, subtler tone, “Thanks.”

“Y’know, in retrospect, it’s been a  _ rough _ few days for us,” xe mused. “Two big, scary, emotional nights in a row.”

“Ughhh, I know. If there’s any kind of emergency tomorrow I’m gonna lose it.”

“I say if there’s some kind of emergency tomorrow, we just call it quits. Fuck everything, let’s go live in the wilderness and mind our own business.”

Herobrine laughed. “I’m down.”

Casey inched closer so their legs were touching. Between having xir wounds tended to and the heart-to-heart just now, xe felt a sense of kinship and understanding with him that hadn’t been there before, a sense of  _ closeness. _

“Thanks for cleaning the scratches, and saving me in the first place, and all that,” xe said softly. “Seriously, it means a lot to me. Thank you.”

“No problem. It was — I mean — you’re welcome. Someone’s gotta keep you alive,” he flashed xem a smile, an honest smile that warmed xir heart. If it were anyone else, xe’d describe it as sweet, but the sharp teeth sort of took away from that.

Xe’d never noticed how his eyes brightened when he smiled before. Xe smiled back, and this time it was real. Xe really did feel better.

And also exhausted. Xe felt  _ exhausted. _

“Oh man. The adrenaline finally wore off and I am  _ tired, _ ” xe yawned.

Herobrine blinked, startled. “Right! Yeah, that makes sense. I’m pretty tired too, running around keeping the undead from eating you.”

Casey ushered him out of xir bed and slipped under the covers. He extinguished the lone torch providing light and plunged the room into darkness. Xe watched the two white spots of his eyes float around in the blackness as he crawled into his own bed.

“We’re taking a rest day tomorrow, by the way,” he informed xem. “I know you’re still pretty anxious about the whole knight thing, but we really need one. We’ll get a lot farther after relaxing for a day than we will if we keep running ourselves ragged.”

Xe sighed. “You’re right. I need a bath anyways.”

His eyes winked out and seemed to be replaced by a blob of bright blue. It took a moment for xem to realize that xe was seeing him yawn. The glowing tongue gave him away.

“Good night, Casey,” he mumbled.

“Good night, Bri.”

Casey fell asleep with a smile on xir face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally! a chapter I'm really happy with!
> 
> What do you think of Casey's sleep-deprived decision? Or Herobrine's reaction to it? Was his anger justified? What about their conversation afterwards? Tell me what you think! I love yall's feedback and I cherish every comment! :D
> 
> See more minecraft content, or shoot me an ask at https://canofgaycubes.tumblr.com/
> 
> The characters of this story have an ask blog!(that I really need to reopen oof) Ask 'em anything at https://askthedaylight.tumblr.com/


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